Life and Death
by Kaiai
Summary: This is my sequel to Promise Mark. So read that before this. It covers Rose's path towards the final moments between life and death. The battle, the drama, and everything in between.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything from her books, just the stuff I make up.**

**Okay well here it is. I bet a lot of you thought this wouldn't be up for awhile. Well you were wrong! Hehehe anyways here's the first chapter enjoy. It basically just explains a few things.**

1

Okay so I'm just going to straighten things out for you all.

My name is Rosemarie Hathaway but if you call me Rosemarie I'll kick you. And believe me, my kicks are worse than my punches.

But anyways my name is Rose. I'm what you would call a Death Dealer. Yeah I know it sounds weird. But what it really comes down to is that I died. But then my best friend Lissa brought me back to life with her awesome Spirit powers. Oh by the way she's a Moroi and I'm a dhampir.

So I became a Death Dealer when I willingly gave up my life for someone I loved a.k.a. Dimitri Belikov. Well it was a few days I think, still foggy on that time, after I was taken by the Strigoi that I kind of sort of 'died'…again.

Instead of my body dying and my spirit moving on I went, body and soul, to the Shadow World, the Land of the Dead. It's basically limbo. I've been told there is more than just the meadow I'm regularly stuck in but I have yet to see it. So to me there isn't anything but that meadow. And that meadow is rather annoying to be stuck in.

Okay okay back to the whole 'Death Dealer' thing. So after I went through the arch, or rather was pulled through by Mason, I went to the meadow. Where I got to meet Lissa's long dead parents. They basically told me that I have to go back and protect Lissa from the storm that's about to happen.

Guess what. That storm is now on Doppler Radar and it's a big ass storm.

So now I'm tricked out in all the Death Dealer gear. I have this awesome hilt thing, still don't know exactly what to call it, that I can change in to any weapon of my choosing. Mainly it stays as a sword because I am a bit more comfortable wielding that than anything else. Might be due to the fact of the Spokane thing, so not getting in to that.

Basically I just have to kill those who are not supposed to be. The Strigoi. Which makes no sense because I'm a Guardian and I would have been doing that anyways.

I'm also Shadow Kissed which is according to Lissa's mom the reason why I'm a Death Dealer. Giving up my life signed me over to the Death Dealer thing. But hey I'm not going to complain. I've been giving things I never would have had as a normal dhampir.

Like the fact that my senses have been upgraded. I mean they were already superior to begin with but now they are completely kickass.

I also have the awesome ability to go back and forth between the Land of the Living and the Shadow World. And the Shadow World is like my own mall. If I need something I can just go there wish it up and BAM I have it. Of course my conscious is telling me there's a catch, I've been ignoring that.

Anyways back to the whole storm thing.

My best friend Lissa has been kidnapped by one of the Queen's cronies that's working with whoever she's working with. My first guess is going to be Viktor Dashkov. Because this wouldn't be the first time he's kidnapped Lissa.

The only problem with that is he's in prison. Or at least from our sources he is. That's why me and heartthrob Russian God Dimitri Belikov and my self are going there to make sure. If he's not then well we have a problem.

If he is there then, I have no clue as to who in the hell is doing this. And when I find him I'm going to rip him to shreds and run him through a blender and feed him to Psi Hounds.

Yeah that sounds good.

This is when Dimitri would say, "Enough Rose."

But Dimitri isn't here right now. He's off talking with Alberta while I'm sitting in what this hellhole they call an airport calls a chair. I'm trying to watch where Lissa is but whoever this is doing this is smart. They're keeping her mobile. So whoever it is knows about my 'powers'.

But I'm sure the bitch of a Queen told them everything they needed to know. No wonder she put me through all that hell to become a Guardian. She was testing me for weaknesses.

"What's wrong?"

I look up from the very interesting tile I've been staring at to see Dimitri leaning against a pillar.

"Nothing besides I'm an idiot."

"No you aren't," he says sitting down beside me.

I turn so I can stare at him, "I should have realized that all of those 'tests' the Queen was putting me through was just so she could inform on me to her 'superiors'."

"You can't blame your self for that. She's the Queen, no one would have ever though she was capable of that."

"Really?" I asked sarcastically. "I knew from the start she was a bitch."

"Roza," he sighed.

"Oh no don't even start," I say getting to my feet. "You aren't going to go all "Oh Roza" on me. Nuh uh Comrade. I'm completely right about this and you know it. So I want to hear you call her a bitch."

He stared at me, "What?"

"Say it," I say tapping my feet.

He mutters something in Russian and gets to his feet.

"Not getting away with that. Someone refuses to teach me Russian swear words so I don't know what you just said."

"I thought you looked them up?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well that was awhile ago," I admit, "but stay on subject! Say it!"

"Fine! The Queen's a bitch," he says throwing his hands up.

I smile triumphantly.

"Glad we concur."

"Oh big words now huh?"

"Shut it," I say pushing him playfully.

He grabs my arm and pulls me towards him, "I have better ideas," he says before his lips crush down upon mine.

Kissing him is just so much fun. I wish I could do it all day.

**Hope that wasn't too boring for ya. Thanks for reading! Review!!!**

**And yes review and review some more! I need to know what you all think is going to happen!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Eh see the previous chapter.**

**Okay well here is chapter two! Hope you enjoy. It's kind of just a filler chapter though.**

2

Dimitri and I stayed in the secluded spot for another five minutes. Knowing what we were getting in to I completely understood why Dimitri was acting this way.

Of course he would never tell me to my face what he was thinking. I knew him so well he didn't need to.

So being me, I said it for him.

"We might not live through this you know."

He didn't say anything.

"I just want you to know that I'm going to fight, and that you shouldn't worry about me."

"I will always worry about you Roza," he whispers.

I turn so I can look him in the eye.

"But if you worry about me and it gets you killed it kills me too."

He grimaces.

"Don't Dimitri. I'm the one with dying experience here. And I'm pretty much the master at it at the moment. I do not want to see you in the Shadow World."

He sighs, "Roza what happens happens. I will fight harder than I have ever fought before to stay with you. To get the chance to see you, to hold you, to kiss you, to love you."

"That's all I ask."

"And that's what I ask for in return."

I nod and kiss him one last time.

It's probably the last for a very long time.

You see walking towards death is a lot easier than it seems. Because you're choosing it, it's not choosing you.

And I've had a lot of rehearsal time with death. Dying isn't something I worry about. It's something I know. It's inescapable. And yeah coming from someone who was brought back to life that sounds a little stupid. But we're all going to have to die. And if I have to die to save Lissa, Dimitri, and I can't believe I'm saying this, or Christian. That's something I'll do. I mean I've done it before.

We walk back to the group of people. They are all clad in fighting gear as am I. I'm just a bit more decked out. I have triple the weapons that everyone else has because I'm more likely to be taken hostage.

We board the plane that will take us to the fancy prison that's holding Viktor. Dimitri and a few other Guardians are going to accompany me.

As soon as we leave the wards that were set around the airport my head starts to pound. But now I know how to control it.

I call in the excess power that has been set loose and open my eyes. Dimitri is trying to pretend like he's staring out the window, when he's really sneaking glances at me. He's not the only one. I can see my mother, who unfortunately, is with us. She's peeking at me every once in awhile too.

I stare at the space around me and take in what the others can't see. Ghosts are everywhere, including Mason. He smiles at me from the seat beside me. "You think if you start talking to me everyone will think you're crazy and leave?"

I roll my eyes and turn to Dimitri.

"Mason would like to know if everyone will think I'm crazy if I start talking to him."

Dimitri raises his eyebrow and looks around, "Where is he?"

I sigh and motion to the seat beside me.

"Hello Mason."

Mason makes a face at him, "Tell him to stop talking to a empty seat he's making himself look like a fool."

I roll my eyes once again and turn my back to him, "He's not being a cooperative apparition at the moment."

Dimitri smiles and puts his arm around my shoulders, "Do you see anymore?"

I nod but I keep my eyes locked on the seat in front of me.

"Anyone you know?"

"Just a few," I mutter.

He knows I don't want to talk about it so he drops it.

I just wish the ghosts would follow the same rules.

Lissa's parents were staring at me from the aisle along with her brother Andre. Along with a few Guardians I vaguely recognized. They were all talking in whispers and staring at me and pointing. They knew I could see and hear them but that didn't stop them from talking about me.

Mainly they were talking about what we were going to do. Some of the Guardians were whispering advice about not dying.

I continued to stare at the seat in front of me while focusing on where Dimitri's arm touched the bare skin of my neck. My very tattooed neck.

Mason kept jabbering stuff at me. Half of it was to see if I was listening the other half was nonsense.

"Remember not to stop. Just keep going. If it's Strigoi kill it if it's not then don't."

"Really?" I mutter half forgetting that I'm the only one who can see and hear him.

Dimitri glances at me, "What did you say?"

"Nothing, Mason just seems keen on reminding me that if it's a Strigoi I'm supposed to kill it. If it's not then don't."

Christian who has been sitting in front of us being quiet the whole time, I know shocker, chimes in. "Well if you don't know that by now then I'm going to stay on the plane."

I glare at him, "Good you can keep all the ghosts company."

He automatically looks around as if they're suddenly going to become visible.

"Scared of a ghost?" I ask.

He glares back at me, "No I'm just scared of what's happening to Lissa."

I look down at the floor, "Nothing bad, she's just getting moved from place to place."

"Why are they doing that?"

"To keep me away, they know that I can't get to her if she's moving."

"So you have tried?"

"What do you think that I've been doing? Just sitting on my ass while everyone plans everything? Of course I've been trying!"

He flinches back from me like I've hit him. Dimitri grasps my arm as if I'm about to jump over the seats and strangle him.

I relax back in my seat, "I'm not going to kill him Dimitri."

"Do not let her go," Christian mutters.

"Scared of a girl?" I taunt.

"You are not a girl."

"Oh? Then what am I?"

"Some super back from the dead chick."

I shrug, "Whatever fire boy."

"I'll take that as a compliment rather than an insult."

"And I take the super as a compliment because that's all I heard."

**Well glad to see under severe amounts of pressure Rose and Christian can still find something to fight about.**

**Thanks for reading! Review!!!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything from her books. Just the stuff I make up.**

**Sorry it took so long, but this one is longer than the first two! Well sort of. Read and enjoy.**

3

The rest of the trip was almost in silence. The only talking was to confirm and reconfirm the plan.

"I think we understand," Christian mutters from his seat.

I glare to where I think his punkass face is hiding behind the seat.

"Calm down Roza," Dimitri's says putting an arm around me.

"Oh I will when I connect my fist to Christian's face," I say standing up in my seat.

Dimitri firmly grabs my arm and pulls me back.

A flicker of fire flares up where my head had been.

My nostrils flare as I leap up again and grab Christian by the collar of his shirt.

I attempt to strangle him with the poor grip I have on his shirt while Dimitri pulls me back.

"Release Rose," Christian mutters while trying to pry my fingers from his shirt.

"You ever do that again Christian and you'll be skydiving with out a parachute."

I settle back in to my chair, thankful that most of the Guardians were too busy to actually notice our little outburst.

"Roza relax," Dimitri says again taking my hand.

"I can't relax if Lissa isn't. She's driving me crazy and the fact that I think she's driving me crazy is driving me crazy. I feel bad for not worrying more about her. I'm to anxious to wring Viktor's neck."

"So you were just practicing on me first?" Christian asks from two rows in front of us.

I glare in his direction, "Yeah and I think I'm rusty. Come back here and let me try again."

"Rosmarie behave or you aren't coming with us," Janine says glaring at me from her seat.

I glare back, "Want to bet? None of you can keep me here. The only reason I'm still here is because Dimitri insists on me not going alone in case it's a trap."

That shuts her up and coincidentally me too.

I continue to stare at the seat in front of me.

My thoughts drift from Lissa's fear, to strangling Christian, to slicing Viktor in to tiny, tiny pieces.

* * *

I glare at the seat in front of me. After four planes I'm now in my third car. This one is a suburban and there are at least five people in the car.

Two humans, three Guardians.

Just having to be in this cramped seat is making my nerves even worse than they already are.

_Rose please be looking for me._

* * *

"What the hell do you mean we don't have clearance?" A Guardian shouts in to cell phone.

"Do you know who the hell we are? We're Royal Court Guardian Heads which means we have clearance to every fucking thing in the world."

We're all standing outside with five cars.

We're waiting for the prison to stop being assholes.

Apparently it's not happening anytime soon.

"We don't have three hours. We're coming there right now whether you like it or not!"

The Guardian turns the phone off then throws it to the ground. He steps on it as he walks back to us.

"Load up, we're going."

The Guardians around me nod and start to move.

I bite my lip but before I can even make a move Dimitri is leading me to the front seat of the lead vehicle.

"Patience," is all he says as he goes to the driver's side.

When he shuts the door I turn to him, "Is not in my vocabulary."

He looks at me out of the corner of his eye, "Staying power, persistence in waiting, fortitude."

"I can't hear you," I say turning my vision to the window.

"Can you please hurry though," I say closing my eyes.

I can feel the car start, but I can't hear it.

I'm with Lissa.

She's being switched. She's on the ground.

I vanish from the car.

* * *

"Damn it!" I say slamming on the brakes.

Rose has just disappeared from the seat beside me, the seat belt still locked in place.

"What the hell?" Guardian Hathaway says on the radio.

"Rose has disappeared," I mutter in to it.

I turn around to see my fellow Guardians still staring at the place disappeared from.

"What do you mean disappeared?"

I swear in Russian, "Vanished, gone, no longer here."

"Where did she go?"

"If I bloody hell knew where she went don't you think I would tell you?" I say or rather shout in Russian.

She seems to get the gist of it because she doesn't say anything.

Another Guardian starts to talk, "We still need to continue with this mission. Hathaway can look after herself."

Every part of me wants to stay here just in case she comes back.

But all of my training is telling me to continue down the road.

So I do.

Silently swearing at Rose for not being patient.

* * *

"Hello boys welcome to hell," I say appearing in front of them.

Lissa's face turns from straight fear to thankfulness in about two seconds flat.

Shouts greet me instead of a hello so I pull out my sword and run towards them.

A nauseous feeling in my gut makes me roll to the ground and lash out with my legs.

I kick the Strigoi away from me and get back to my feet. I brandish the sword in his direction then turn around to sever the head of the one that was coming at me from behind.

A third Strigoi comes at me from my left and I go after it too.

Fear courses through me from the bond. The Guardians are taking Lissa to another car. They're hurting her so they can distract me.

I feel my eyes flare as I hack at the Strigoi's arm.

He screams out in pain as the sacred silver cuts him.

I rip my sword through him and yank it out just in time to drive it through a fourth that has just arrived.

I glance around to see the swarms of Strigoi surrounding me.

I know before I want to that it's hopeless.

Hopeless because Lissa is already speeding down the road.

I curse so loudly the nearest Strigoi chuckles.

"Guess you've given up little dhampir."

I cut his head off just in spite.

A cold clammy hand grabs my upper arm.

I try to turn to cut him but he's holding his arm across my throat.

I do the first thing that comes to mind.

I go to the Shadow World.

Gasps from the spirits makes me open my eyes.

I throw the arm off and turn around to stare at the Strigoi.

Or rather the pile of ash.

I shake my head and turn to the first ghost I see.

"Does that happen to anything that gets brought with me?"

It looks at me then to the ash, "I think just them. I wouldn't try it with anyone you like thought."

"Hmm that's interesting, wonder if Christian will volunteer to be a guinea pig."

"I doubt it," Mason says coming up to me.

I glare at him, "I've had enough of you to last me a month."

"Well a month will pass down there if you don't go back."

"I am I'm just waiting for the right moment."

"Well the right moment was never. You should have just slaughtered them all."

I continue to glower at him, "Yes next time some sick Strigoi is crushing my windpipe I will remember your wonderful advice. Kill all Strigoi even if you die keep killing. I'm sure my death throes would have sent them running for the hills in terror."

Mason glares back, "Get your ass back now."

"Watch your language here, this place is sacred," I say with a half smile as I go back.

* * *

The name prison mocks the building in front of me. It looks more like a castle than any lockup for the most dangerous of criminals.

We park haphazardly in front of the structure. The Guardians in the car I drove grab their weapons. It's dark now so there's more possibility of Strigoi attacks even though this whole place is heavily warded.

We exit the car and head up to the front gate with the other Guardians from the other four cars.

No one is in the office next to the gate.

"This is starting to piss me off," a Guardian mutters beside me.

I agree.

"No one's here," a voice says from the shadows behind me.

I instantly pull my stake up, waiting for an attack.

"Put that away," Rose says stepping in to view.

Grumbles from the Guardians rumble through the crowd.

She doesn't pay any attention to them.

I study her appearance.

"What the hell happened to you?"

She smiles, "I had a window so I took it."

"Ever heard of telling someone about it," Janine says from my side.

Rose doesn't even blink towards her mother.

"Lissa stopped so I went to her. But there were too many Strigoi to go through to get her. They had her off before I finished off the four attacking me."

That completely explains the dried blood on her pants along with a slight tear in her shirt sleeve.

"Next time inform us before you go off on a side trip," Janine mutters turning back to one of the lead Guards.

"Why isn't there anyone in there," seems to be the topic among the people around me. My eyes are still on Rose because she has the evil smile on her face I know to well.

And like that she's gone, but I have a hunch as to where she's gone.

I turn back towards the gate to see Rose on the other side.

"We found our way in," I say nodding to Rose as she goes in to the office. Seconds later the gate swings open and we're all stepping through the wards.

**I love Rose. She's so much fun to write. She has so many different sides to her. I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter.**

**Thanks for reading! Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything from her books, just the stuff I make up.**

**Okay so here is chapter four, I hope you like the little extra tidbit in the begining.**

4

_Life and Death  
__Two opposites such as  
__Light and Darkness_

_But which is which  
__In the end_

_Life leads to death  
__While  
__Death leads to life_

_Light leads to darkness  
__While  
__Darkness leads to light_

_How to tell  
__Good from bad  
__Light from darkness_

_Life from death_

I shake my head and try to get my concentration back. Dimitri and a few other Guardians are in front of me. I don't know why when I should be the one going in first.

Oh yeah, Dimitri the control freak.

I glare at his head as we move towards the building. We haven't run in to any Guardians yet and that has everyone on alert. We should have run in to at least a dozen by now.

"This isn't a game," an annoying voice says from beside me.

"Really? I never would have guessed," I say irritably and walking faster.

"You need to straighten up and grow up."

I turn my head slightly so I can glare at Janine, "Seems to me the person here having trouble growing up is you."

Janine's face flushes with anger.

Yes I just made a short joke to my mother on one of the most dangerous days of my life. So sue me.

Before she can say anything I cut her off, "I don't know what your problem is. I'm doing my job just as good as you are. You're just using all your free time to make me feel like I'm a failure." I turn so I can look at her full in the face, "Face it Janine, I'm not incompetent like you seem to think I am."

I don't wait for a reply. I walk faster so I'm between a Guardian that I've forgotten the name of and Dimitri. He doesn't say anything but gives me a not so subtle angry glance.

"I know what you're thinking so just don't say it," I mumble as we walk to the entrance. The building towers over us like a medieval castle.

"What was I going to say?" he asks as two Guardians take off around the building.

"That I need to be nicer to her," I say staring at the gravel beneath my feet.

"That would be a start," he says moving towards the door with the other Guardian. They open the door and peer in before bursting through it to an empty hall.

"What the hell is going on?" I say out loud pushing my way through them.

"Roza don't," Dimitri says but too late. Hands grab me and toss me against a wall. I stand up already with my sword unsheathed. Then I roll my eyes as I stab through the shirt of the Guardian.

He is pinned to the wall and can't move.

"It's a Guardian," I say to half the people behind me that were rushing to fight.

My mother pushes through the people barring her way and with one glare at me she turns her attention to the Guardian I've trapped.

"Who are you?" she asks in a voice that sounds calm but is laced with hate.

The Guardian doesn't move.

I glare at him.

Dimitri walks up and hands something to my mother. She smiles as she takes out a vial. She takes the stopper out and forces the liquid down the man's throat. He sputters and tries to spit it out but she keeps his mouth closed.

When he stopped struggling she lets him go. "Who are you?"

He glares at us all.

"Adam Yuley"

"What is your position here?"

"Ward Guardian," he snarles.

"Looks as if you've left your post," Dimitri points out.

Yuley glares, "It would appear so."

Janine calls his attention back to her, "What has happened here?"

Yuley smiles, "Revolution," and then he collapses, foam rolling down his chin. Janine throws him to the ground in disgust.

I watch amazed as a mist appears over the body. I watch as it steps out of the body and then looks at me.

"You do not belong here Death Dealer, you will fall."

Then he vanishes. I continue to stare at the now empty body.

A noise from the end of the hall has everyone stiffen. I keel over as nausea takes over me.

"Roza?" Dimitri asks kneeling down. I glare at him, "You promised."

His eyes widen as he takes out his stake. The other Guardians follow his example as the first of the Strigoi come around the corner.

I struggle to my feet, clutching my sword. I take a deep breath and will the feeling away. It's never been this bad before.

A Strigoi rushes towards Dimitri and it's like I go on autopilot. I rush too and as my sword slides in to the chest of the Strigoi I slide in to Dimitri who steadies me but doesn't look at me. He's off to another Strigoi that is coming towards us. I yank the sword out of the cold flesh and move on to the next.

It's like a flood. Strigoi after Strigoi just keep on coming. I recognize one or two as Moroi gone bad when I was younger but I feel nothing when I drive my sword through their hearts. I plunge in to the thick of it fighting three at once while the other Guardians are yelling to retreat. I see Dimitri motion for me to leave it as they all rush outside. I however cannot leave it. I have a mission here that I'm not going to let a few Strigoi ruin. I close my eyes after I run my sword through my eleventh kill. I imagine the cell like I've seen it before.

Then I'm there. I open my eyes to see nothing but an empty bed. I kick the wastepaper basket in anger. Then something catches my eye. A necklace.

The necklace Viktor Dashkov sent me with the lust charm. I glance at it and then grab it up and toss it at the wall. The paper it was sitting on flutters to the ground.

I turn to leave but the paper is bothering me. I pick it up and glance at it. Nothing is written on it. I turn it over to find the note.

_Dear Perfect Rose,_

_I'm so happy that you are now reading this because I know you are._

_As you very well know your dear Princess Dragomir is in custody of some very important people. If you would like her condition to stay the same I would suggest you quit your little search. It will lead you no where but death. And just because you've become a slippery little Death Dealer will mean nothing when the time comes for you to be exterminated. Just like the many before you. And yes to end your questioning I know all about you. You see I told you I had friends of great importance._

_Yours truly,_

_King Viktor Dashkov_

**Well someone is a bit full of himself now isn't he? Or is he? Hehehehe I know y'all think I'm evil.**

**Thanks for reading! Review!!!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything from her books, just the stuff I make up.**

**Oh you guys are going to hate me. Oh and by the way sorry for the wait, I had issues to deal with. :( Like stupid horses running through fences.**

5

I don't know how long I stood there, staring at the note. I couldn't really wrap my mind around what I had just read. It wasn't registering.

A noise from behind me though got me moving. I turned on my heel to see no one but a ghost. I didn't recognize it. It stared at me with blank eyes.

"Who are you," I asked, stunned that my voice rang so strong.

He looked at me with sad eyes, "A Guardian here."

I glanced around, "what happened?'

He kept staring, "Death happened," he said.

I wanted to roll my eyes but I didn't, "How?"

"Strigoi took over, some of the Guardians changed sides others fought."

I looked him over, "You fought?"

He nodded.

"Why are you here?"

He shrugged, "I had a feeling that I needed to stay."

"Why?" I asked relaxing a bit.

He looked away from me then back, "I don't know, but it's gone now."

And before my eyes he vanished.

I didn't stay a crash from the end of the hall kept my daze from seeing the ghost disappear early. I closed my fist around the note and vanished too.

"About time," someone snarled. I glanced to see my mother hurrying in to a car. Dimitri glanced at me and motioned for me to come on.

So I did. I slammed the door and with tires squealing we left the prison. I didn't glance back I just stared at the dashboard.

I didn't even realize when we stopped.

* * *

I stopped at a gas station and parked in the first spot. Roza hadn't moved or made a sound for the last hour. I didn't move when the others got out of the car. I stayed in my seat watching her.

She was unmoving. Her eyes were blank as she stared at the dashboard, her mouth in an even line, and her face pale.

"Roza?" I asked softly. She didn't acknowledge me.

I touched her arm, "Roza are you okay?"

She didn't say anything, she just lifted her right hand and handed me something.

I took the crumpled paper and read the note.

When I was finished she finally moved, to look at me with her dead eyes. Her voice was the most unnerving thing about the whole day.

"Why do people keep telling me I'm supposed to be dead?"

She blinked then opened the door without waiting for me to answer. I just stared after her without anything to say.

* * *

Something is wrong. And not just the fact that I'm in yet another car is not it. Something is wrong with Rose, I can feel it.

It's nothing like before when I accidentally slipped into her rather than her slipping in to me. My heart feels like it's been turned to stone or ice. My head even hurts. I try to concentrate on the feeling to see if I could get anything but the potholes in the road keep jarring me back.

_Rose what's wrong?_ I silently plead.

Because seeing Rose find me before gave me hope. More than I had before, because now I know she's following me.

_Rose you're my only hope, please._

But a sinking feeling in my stomach tells me something I don't want to know.

* * *

"What do you mean?" I ask angrily. Belikov just stares back at me.

"She's gone," he repeats.

"How the hell do you figure? She's right there."

"But she's not," he says. Looking at him you wouldn't be able to tell, but I could hear it in his voice. Something was messed up with him.

I go over to Rose and stand in front of her.

"Wake the hell up," I nearly scream at her.

She meets my eyes for a minute and I take a step back. Her eyes are so empty it doesn't feel right to look at her. But stepping back lets me see all of her. Her skin is pale, and she looks…dead.

"What the hell happened Rose?" I ask almost in a whisper.

My heart is beating so fast and loud I almost miss her speak.

"Death."

And with that she disappears and I fall to my knees.

Without Rose we don't have a chance. The Guardians around me all know this. I can see they're astonished faces as they stare at where Rose had been.

But the only Guardian I want to see is the one walking towards the cars.

I get up and run to him.

"You know what happened Belikov, enlighten us."

He doesn't say anything, just tosses a crumpled piece of paper at me.

I catch it and unfold it.

_Dear Perfect Rose,_

_I'm so happy that you are now reading this because I know you are._

_As you very well know your dear Princess Dragomir is in custody of some very important people. If you would like her condition to stay the same I would suggest you quit your little search. It will lead you no where but death. And just because you've become a slippery little Death Dealer will mean nothing when the time comes for you to be exterminated. Just like the many before you. And yes to end your questioning I know all about you. You see I told you I had friends of great importance._

_Yours truly,_

_King Viktor Dashkov_

Something scribbled on the other side catches my eye. I turn it over and read the rest.

_It's my fault. If Lissa had never saved me this all wouldn't be happening. I'm so sorry for all of this. But my life was never supposed to continue after that car crash. So with me living has thrown everything off balance.  
__I know that now.  
__So I'm going to do what's right.  
__I love you Dimitri with all of my heart. That is why it will always be yours.  
__I will wait for you.  
__That doesn't mean to end your life as well. Live your life for me.  
__Lissa is going to be in Spokane._

_Rose_

The paper flutters from my hand.

* * *

Death is funny. You try and avoid it at all causes but in the end, you accept it. Because you know that it's inevitable.

Choosing death over life is just the same. It's hard but inevitable. Some point in your life you'll find that choice, and sadly enough you won't want to choose it, but you will in the end. Because it's what's right. But doing the right thing in one situation doesn't mean it's the only solution...

**Well you might as well review so you can tell me about how much you hate me. Because I figure none of you were expecting this turn of events.**

**So thanks for reading! Review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Yada yada yada I don't own this, Richelle Mead does, I just own the stuff I make up.**

**Well first of all I would like to inform the many worried reviewers that this is not over, but is far from over. There are still several twists and schemes yet to be unraveled in this dark plot. So be looking forward to a lot more chapters. And I think this one is one of my favorites...but I think it's going to confuse a few people...it switches narratives like crazy!**

6

_Life is funny. Death is worse._

_

* * *

_

Without seeing or hearing I went back to the car. I don't know how I did it but I did. I found myself sinking against the cold metal of the vehicle and the press of it against my back.

_She's gone._

I wanted to dwell on that one sentence but words from the back of my head sprang up and started shouting.

_You promised!_

I shook my head and stood up. I took in a deep breath that cleared my head.

"Belikov?" a soft voice asked from my side.

I turned to see a pale faced Janine standing there. Her eyes were set over my shoulder so she wouldn't have to catch my gaze.

"We move out," I say. It's the only thing we can do, it was our mission regardless of who was with us or not.

She nods and gets the Guardians back in to order.

I look at the place she vanished once more and close my eyes.

_For you._

I turn and open the door. Christian walks towards me with a blank expression on his face. The note crumbled in his hands. He hands it to me and goes and opens his own door. He climbs in and waits with the same blank stare never shifting.

I look at the paper. The one who holds a threat and a goodbye. Precious information and misery. My love and quite possibly…

My death.

* * *

_I sit in a field._

_Unmoving, emotionless, blind._

_And yet the field is alive._

_

* * *

_

Stone has replaced my heart. I can't feel anything because I now know.

Rose is gone.

I overheard a Guardian informing another. Apparently they have spies in the group Rose was in.

_Was in,_ the words lash out at me.

Because Rose is gone, not here, as good as dead.

Everyone seems to be pleased. They weren't looking forward to seeing her again.

I am yet again in another car being transported to another place where another car probably waits.

Why do I still feel hope?

* * *

I refuse to give up. I will find her and set every Strigoi I see into a burning ball of flames. Rose isn't the only one with a chance of saving her. I will save her because I love her.

"Why would they bring her to Spokane?" I blurt out before I realize what I'm asking.

The Guardian I'm sitting by gives me a sideways glance.

Belikov answers.

"I'm guessing they think we won't go there. That we think it's been evacuated by their little group."

I consider this.

"Daskov is in this though. So it's more than a little group. It involves the Queen too, who knows how many other Royals are involved."

I can see Belikov's reflection in the rearview mirror. His face is set in a grimace.

"I do not believe there are more Royals involved, and I believe that the Queen is not acting on her own."

I scoff at this, "How was she not acting of her own accord?"

"Viktor Daskov is very gifted with charms to control people. If he had someone working with him on the inside, which today proves he does, it would be easy to slip the Queen a charmed object."

I can't think of anything to say.

The car falls silent.

* * *

_If you think about it, death lets you reflect._

_Reflect on the life you had._

_The people you've loved._

_The people you've hated._

_The friendships you've had._

_The romance of life._

* * *

I find myself staring at a wall. I have no earthly clue as to why I'm sitting here staring at a wall. It's not beautiful, in fact it's rather plain.

The bottle in front of me is not plain. I can clearly see the label of whatever brand it is. I just can't focus my eyes on the words. Because for once in my life I would rather stay sober.

Because for once I'm in on a scheme no one else is even aware of.

Funny how life is sometimes.

The ones who are left behind are sometimes the ones with the most information.

I stand up and go for my phone. I dial the number I have now memorized.

"Who am I speaking to?" I ask as the person on the other end answers.

"Good. You will be needing my assistance."

I listen as they complain.

"Well I'm sorry that is information I can only disclose to one person, and I have to meet that person face to face. Which airport?"

I wait for the necessary information and write it down. I smile, "Thank you," then hang up.

I fold the piece of paper and put it in to my pocket. I grab the grey jacket on the hook by the door and take off.

I only pass one person. The others are gathered somewhere to discuss the accusations dear Rose threw at my Aunt.

But luckily enough for me the person doesn't even glance at me. So I walk straight to the gate and charm my way out pass the Guardians. Then I'm in a car driving towards the nearest airport.

"Every rose has its thorns does not even cover you my dear," I say to myself.

* * *

_Even in death you can be disturbed._

_So that is why I'm rolling my eyes at the idiocy of a certain life._

**Hehehe I wonder if you know who is speaking in italics? But I refuse to comment on any of that subject!**

**Thanks for reading! Review!**

**Oh and to all of my reviewers, I can't thank you all enough! There are so many of you that I can't ever seem to find time between writing this and giving you all feedback! But I promise that this chapter I will! Well not about that certain sensitive subject of italics...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Dismeclair: I'm not Rcelhile Maed. So I dno't own atniynhg form her bokos, jsut the sfutf I mkae up.**

**Oaky so I konw its been fveroer. But I rlaely tnihk you all are gniog to lkie tihs cpehtar. Smoe mhigt not tghuoh...but ltes jsut say tehers a hgue tsiwt.**

**Hehehehe how mnay can alultcaly raed tihs? I bet eyvenore can. **

7

_Reflecting is a good thing, and a bad thing._

_My life was filled with tons of fun and tons of shit._

_I had a full life in the little time I was alive. I had friends, good friends and fake friends._

_I had lust and I had love._

_And now I have a field…_

_filled with idiotic spirits that keep yelling at me._

* * *

I stood leaning up against the column, twisting the end of my gray jacket between my fingers. It was easy to get past security, though a little charm from me goes a long way.

I knew they were on their way, I could hear them arguing about what to do when they got to me.

When they rounded the corner they all stopped. I counted a good fifteen Guardians right there. My peripheral vision and my senses told me there was double that number strolling around the airport checking everything.

A Guardian came towards me, not the one I was looking for.

"I said I would only speak to her," I informed him.

He made a face and then turned back to his group.

I watched as a stern faced Janine Hathaway walked over to me.

I smiled at her, "Good evening Guardian Hathaway," I greeted.

She glared at me, "Cut the crap Ivashkov, what do you want?" she demanded.

"Manners, manners. I see now where Rose gets her attitude from."

She looked as if she wanted to hit me. No she looked as if she wanted to chop me in to little tiny pieces then set me on fire.

And knowing that this was Rose's mother, made me pick my words very carefully.

"I have some _news_ that you might find useful. But I will have to tell you in private."

She looked annoyed but agreed. She took me by the elbow, quite forcefully I might add, and nearly dragged me towards a set of seats out of the Guardians earshot.

"Speak then," she said pointedly.

So I did, I told her what I knew.

* * *

I didn't like it. Not at all.

I watched as Adrian and Janine went to sit at the metal chairs out of our hearing distance. I watched Janine's face for any sign.

But Janine was highly trained at hiding her emotions and ignoring them. Her face never changed once.

I couldn't help but be annoyed at that fact Ivashkov was here. He was the Queen's nephew and I just didn't trust him. Then again I didn't trust him because of Rose.

I shook my head of the thoughts. They would drive me crazy. He wasn't talking to Janine about Rose. He wouldn't even know that she was gone.

I kept my eyes instead on the man watching us. He was human. His hair was thinning and he wore glasses. When he took a walkie talkie out from behind the counter my interest grew.

A buzzing sound in my ear like static made me shake my head.

And that's when I saw it.

A flicker of movement right in my sight.

But it couldn't be….

A feeling hit me so hard that I clutched the stake at my belt out of reflex. A few other Guardians looked around too.

I saw the first when it came out of a door where the human with thin hair had been.

This one was definitely a Strigoi, I could tell from its highly tinted sunglasses and the layers. The others noticed it too and immediately went in to the action of scanning for other threats.

This one though, I had a funny feeling about.

I and three others went in for the attack.

But the Strigoi made no move to defend it self. It actually looked thrilled to see us.

"You look so sad without your dhampir blood whore," Tasha Ozera taunted.

I wanted to drop to my knees. Tasha couldn't be a Strigoi. She would have fought till she was dead than become that.

She smiled, "So surprised Dimka? I guess you weren't expecting me?" Her scar that had made no difference before looked twisted. It made her look crazy.

I grabbed the hilt of my stake and the others did the same. She just smiled then slipped back out the door.

We barged through it ready for the ambush that was likely to be waiting.

But the surprise was seeing just Tasha.

"What did you do?" I asked her as the others fanned around her. I would get as much information as possible.

She laughed a high pitched laugh that left the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

"Why don't we talk about that little affair of yours? About how you would rather have a seventeen year old whore over me. She wouldn't have been able to give you what I could have. What I should have. She stole you from me and I'm glad she's dead!"

Tasha slammed in to one of the other Guardians in her rage. He slashed her arm with the stake and she screamed out in pain and anger.

"Why do you think she's dead?" I asked steadily sneaking closer.

She laughed, "Oh don't try and hide the fact Dimka. She's dead. Everyone knows it. Maybe you shouldn't trust your 'friends' as much as you do. Never know when they can 'turn' on you." She said the last part with a sly smile.

I felt my lip twitch in anger but I ignored her taunting.

"We could have had a family. We could have been happy," she started whining.

I shook my head, "I never would have been happy Tasha."

Her face twisted in to a snarl, "You could have been."

"_Could_ is the key word Tasha. I never _would_ have been happy."

This made her anger and she lunged at me. I didn't have enough time to aim for her heart so I sank the stake in to her stomach.

She screamed in pain and fell to the floor. She clutched her side and writhed on the ground.

I restrained her and put the stake to her heart. She looked at me as I did.

"_Kill me," _she pleaded.

So I did.

**Hahaha sorry, I was really bored. Oh and I'm not talking about the story...I was talking about my message at the begining. Haha. But so...the story...what did you think?**

**Thanks for reading! Review!**


	8. Chapter 8

Dmclesiair: I'm not Rlchelie Maed. So I dno't own aymhtnig form her bokos. Jsut the sfutf I mkae up.

**Yaeh I get breod smteieoms. But hree is ctehpar ehgit. Eojny.**

8

The Guardians outside the room took care of the people who heard the screams, Christian helped along with Adrian.

He didn't know.

And I didn't know if I could tell him.

* * *

Christian and I made sure that anyone who heard the ruckus just thought it was coming from the employee lounge's TV. I had no idea if the airport even had a lounge around this part but it didn't really matter. The humans just went on their merry way.

From the looks that got shot at Christian from some of the Guardians I knew something had happened.

I went over to Guardian Hathaway, "What happened?" I whispered.

Her nose twitched but she answered me, "The Strigoi was Tasha Ozera."

I felt the color drain out of my face, "Wasn't she part of the other team?"

Hathaway looked at me with a solemn expression.

"Yes."

* * *

"Well I think the plan is going well."

"Why do you think that?"

"We wiped out more than half of the first team of Guardians. A few from the other team were killed as well, including Rosemarie Hathaway."

"I highly doubt that," I said looking out at the darkness of the grounds.

"We have gotten information from three different people that the girl is dead."

I turned to him, "She's been dead before. What's to stop her from returning again?"

He looked at me as if I was crazy, "You can't come back from the dead."

I smiled, "You keep thinking that."

A door to my left opened. A Guardian stepped through. He bowed and then spoke, "Your Majesty, she is here."

* * *

_Something. Something was talking to me. Telling me something._

_I looked at the thing but couldn't tell what or who it was. I couldn't hear it._

_My mind was like a thick fog, to dense to see or hear._

_Then a sharp pain had me fall to the ground._

_And it was not the field._

* * *

They told me, I didn't believe them.

I saw her, I fell to the ground.

My whole life, she always fought.

And now she is dead.

I was leaning against the concrete wall as I watched them clean up the mess my Aunt's body had made. I watched as the sterilized the floor. Watched the blood get washed away.

My Aunt, the one who had fought my parents when they turned. My Aunt, the one who fought for Moroi magic.

Had turned.

She had turned in to the thing she had vowed to destroy.

"Christian," someone called. I didn't look at them, I just watched the river of blood disappear.

"She never would have done that. Someone forced her."

"How do you know? My parents changed," I spat.

"She asked me to kill her Christian, I've never met a Strigoi that asked me to kill them."

I looked at Belikov, "Then I guess I should say thanks for killing my Aunt?"

"Death is always hard, no matter the circumstance."

I glared, "Yeah and I guess you're a master at living through death."

I walked away and out the door to the cluster of Guardians. They instantly turned quiet. I knew what I had said to Dimitri was wrong but I didn't care. These Guardians and Moroi looking at me like I was about to join my family and become a Strigoi were really starting to piss me off.

When the others continued to glare at me I lost it a bit.

"You think I'm going to turn out like the rest of my family?" I asked trying to keep my voice steady. They instantly looked away. "Just because those bastards chose it doesn't mean I'm going to. So stop looking at me like I'm going to attack you because if you don't then you're really going to have something to worry about," I said emphasizing my anger by showing my fangs.

A hand clasped on my shoulder.

"Now now Christian. Lets not be nasty to the Guardians with the sharp objects that can kill us."

Adrian steered me away and to a group of chairs.

"I don't need your sympathy," I growled.

"Well I wasn't planning on giving you any. I mean so your Aunt was turned against her will, not anything to get upset about. I mean my Aunt is just a Queen bitch that's the reason we're in this mess at all. I mean I can kind of see the blurred lines and all but I think we might be in the same situation."

I glared at him, "Hardly."

He rolled his eyes, "What I'm trying to say is our families are both filled with assholes that can give a shit about how their actions might affect their relatives."

I didn't want to agree with him so I kept my mouth shut.

* * *

"Guardian Hathaway, what are the plans?" Guardian Belikov asked.

I looked at him and felt a tinge of sorrow for him. But emotions would cloud judgment and I could not have that.

I straightened up and looked at him, "We find out what the hell happened to the others."

He nodded and went and rounded the others up.

He was a good Guardian. He had good control, when it came to his profession. My daughter was another story.

Thinking that made me go over the information Ivashkov had given me. If what he told me was true we had more shit to deal with than we thought.

Rose had always been bright.

* * *

_Something was wrong. I could feel it. But I couldn't figure it out. The man spoke again and I listened. Something slipped on to my wrist. I looked down at the dangling cross. A dragon was imprinted on it, it looked familiar._

_I just couldn't remember why._

**Yeah like I said I get bored. But how was this chapter? I think some of you are going to be a bit angry with me for this last little entry in italics. Hehehe, so review and tell me about it!**

**Thanks for reading! Review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead, so I don't own anything from her books. Just the stuff I make up.**

**Okay so here is chapter nine. Yeah I know, you guys are impressed with my awesome updating these last two days. Plan on I think one more update to this today, maybe two. But anyways I just wanted to explain something. The reason why I don't label my POV changes is because sometimes its a character we haven't met yet or I don't want to reveal it. Because if I did then it would kind of ruin the effect. But you should be able to tell by the third sentence who is speaking if its a main character. I usually divulge some illuminating information. Like their name. But just to cut down this confusion on this chapter, the first POV is Lissa while the second is Dimitri.**

**Ejnoy, tkhnas for rdnaenig!**

9

I overheard the humans saying that we were almost there. I didn't know if he meant that we were almost to another car or if we were almost to our final destination.

I really didn't care anymore.

I was sick of it.

Strong hands grabbed my shoulders. I hadn't realized we had stopped. They pulled me from the car. It was the dead of night, safe for the Strigoi.

I looked for the car I assumed would be here to be disappointed. We were at a house. It looked as if it went through hell. But we didn't go in to the house. We went around back to a shed.

One of the Guardians unlocked the door and led us in side. I will admit that this confused me. It was a garden shed, not some big secret headquarters that I was expecting.

I didn't get a chance to point that out because the same Guardian opened a trap door hidden under pots and gardening supplies.

The one holding my arms shoved me forward. I had no choice but to climb down the rickety metal ladder. It smelled of rust and I hoped that it would just collapse and I would full hundreds of feet to my death.

Because what was lurking here was sure to lead to my death.

When my feet finally found solid ground a Guardian jumped from his perch on the ladder to land beside me. As if I would run away in this dank tunnel.

He grabbed hold of my arm once more and led me down the barely illuminated tunnel. From the looks of it the tunnel was roughly cut from what looked like granite. I continued to walk because every time I slowed down the Guardian yanked me forward. The one thing I did notice was that the floor was paved in mismatched brick. My shoes made rough noises from scraping on the uneven surface. The tunnel seemed to go on forever. It twisted and turned and I'm quite sure we doubled back a few times. I guess they were trying to confuse me so I wouldn't be able to find my way out.

Suddenly a light shone out of nowhere. I glanced up and squinted at an ajar metal door. Light poured out of it. The Guardian pushed the door open more and pulled me through it.

The room was brilliantly lit. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Candelabras lined the walls on ornate tables. A huge long dark wood table stood in the middle with surrounding high back chairs. At the far end though, it was different.

A huge gold encrusted throne stood at the end of the room. It had gems making a design at the back of the chair. And sitting in it was Viktor Dashkov.

But what was worse was the person standing by his side.

I cried out and Viktor began to laugh.

* * *

We found out what happened to the other group. They were ambushed. More than half were killed and turned. Only a handful of Guardians survived, Alberta was one of them.

She only sustained a few minor injuries that Adrian quickly healed. He had gotten better at that, but Lissa was still the best.

I closed my eyes and pushed the thought once again out of my head. We had gained ten more Guardians from that group and a few more reinforcements from the Royal Court. They had given up on anything getting done there and came to join us in our fight.

So now our numbers comes to eighty seven Guardians and two Moroi.

It wasn't a comfortable number, but it would have to do.

We were now only twenty minutes from Spokane. It was still dark so every one was alert. The drive was in complete silence.

Not that I minded.

"How did you find out?" someone was whispering in the back.

I glanced in the mirror to see Christian and Adrian with their heads together.

I drew my focus back to the road and listened in on the conversation.

"I can't really say."

"Cut the bullshit Adrian," Christian said venomously.

"Fine a little bird told me."

I glanced in the mirror to see Christian's expression. His eyes were filled with malice and his nostrils were flaring. I swear it looked like fire was burning in his eyes.

"Christian I would tell you if I could, but I can't. I can't explain how I knew, I just did."

Adrian glanced up and caught my eye. The moment that happened I knew he was lying.

The radio crackled and I grabbed it, "Belikov," I answered.

"This is Hathaway. Plans have changed. We're going to park two blocks away and then split up and take the house from two sides."

I rolled my eyes, yes walking in the dark to a Strigoi headquarters, smart.

I agreed and relayed the information to the others.

Christian seemed to have the same thought as I did.

"Isn't walking to a Strigoi infested rat hole a stupid idea?"

"In another circumstance it would be. But we can't alert them by driving up. It would be to suspicious to have vehicles and vehicles of Guardians just drive up in the front drive. We have to surprise them so they don't have time to organize."

"Makes sense," muttered Adrian who turned to look out the window.

Christian grumbled something but I didn't hear it. We were nearing the turn. I followed the vehicle in front of me and we parked. The Guardians started pouring from the vehicles we parked randomly down the street. We grouped up and Hathaway and Alberta told us the plan in whispers.

Two Guardians were staying behind with Adrian. Hathaway wanted Christian to stay as well but we really needed the firepower and if we had left him he would have followed us.

So I was assigned Christian because I was the one who was in charge of finding Lissa and getting her out.

We neared the house from the left. No lights were on and it looked near to ruins. I watched as Guardians from the other group flooded the house. I listened for the signal for us to come but it never came. Instead two Guardians came out the front door and walked to us.

"There's no one here. It looks as if they've been gone for awhile."

I shook my head, "Rose said they would be here."

The Guardian looked at me, "She said Spokane, maybe they're somewhere else."

I shook my head again, "No they're here."

I walked to the back of the house where other Guardians were searching. Christian followed me.

Something in the back of the yard started shuffling the bushes. I scanned it trying to find the source of the movement.

"This is a bad scary movie scene," Christian muttered as he took a step back.

I ignored him and took a step closer.

A cat jumped out at me. I took a quick step back. The cat just looked at me then jumped on to a trash can.

It looked peculiar. It was a black cat with what looked like tabby markings on one of its legs. Its eyes were the most unsettling, they looked almost human.

"Guardian Belikov," Alberta said from behind me. "We're moving out, we're going to the mall where the tunnels were located."

"Wait," was all I said. I moved closer to the cat. It gazed up at me and then tilted its head. Then with clear intent is motioned with its head towards a rundown shed. I glanced at it, "Did anyone check the shed?"

"Of course, it's just as bad as the house," she said impatiently.

The cat jumped from its perch and went towards the shed. It turned back to me and motioned again at the shed.

I didn't know why but I had a feeling. So I followed it. The cat went in to the shed through a hole in the wall. I opened the door to find it sitting on a pot.

It meowed.

When I moved forward the cat jumped again and sat by the door. I moved the pots and gardening junk. I turned back to the cat.

But the cat was gone.

I went back outside, "Someone didn't check hard enough."

**Sorry I had that idea about the cat for awhile now. I have no clue as to why but I thought it was a bit of a stress relaxer in this story. I mean they're about to go in to a Strigoi infested rat hole with barely ninety people.**

**SO thanks for reading! Review!**

**Oh and feel free to message me when you have a question if I don't respond to your review. And by the way I promise to get better at that again. Maybe this chapter.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Not Richelle Mead. I don't own anything from her books, just the stuff I make up. And to answer some questions. I will continue this if I'm not done when the fourth book comes out.**

**Well here is chapter ten. I think this one is going to...**

10

I fidgeted. I wasn't supposed to be here. I was supposed to be there with the Guardians. Not stuck here with two imbeciles in a car. I needed to go to the inevitable fight.

* * *

Yeah I stared. I couldn't understand what was happening. Well I mean I understood being tied to a chair, but not the person standing by Viktor's smiling face.

I blinked hoping that it would go away but it never did.

"Why?" I blurted out.

* * *

Supplied with our weapons we went down the ladder as quietly as possible. We were lucky it didn't creak.

We came out at the end of a tunnel. From here I could see a fork. A few of us wandered over there to make more room in the crowded place.

Both of the new tunnels looked exactly the same. There were no clues as to which one would lead us in the right direction. I glanced down both of them. Lights were bolted to the walls and hung from the ceiling.

I turned to go back and as I did the lights in the right hand tunnel burst in to thousands of sparks.

Alberta came up to stand beside me, "Left I think."

I nodded and we grouped up. I was in the middle with Christian. We had Guardians on all sides of us and two rows in front of us.

We made our way through the tunnels, following the ones that were lit.

We didn't come across anyone in till a chamber with a metal door. Four Strigoi were lounging next to the wall. They seemed to be expecting us.

The fight started as soon as we rounded the corner. It was a silent fight as the Guardians in front of us staked the Strigoi. One however burst in to flames, the one closest to the door. I grabbed for Christian before he got away. A Guardian took care of the engulfed Strigoi.

"Don't be reckless," I told him. He glared at me and stopped struggling.

The door opened and the real fight began.

Christian and I squeezed past most of the fighting and into the interior room. Others followed as more Strigoi ran to the fight.

I quickly dodged one and sank my stake in to his heart. He fell with a gasp to the ground. Christian was lighting the ones on fire that got to close to him. I took them out easily.

We moved from the chaos and I turned to survey the room.

I felt my heart freeze.

"Rose?"

* * *

The grip on my shoulder tightened. I glanced at Belikov to see his face paled. I followed his gaze and felt my eyes bug out of my head.

Viktor Dashkov was sitting in a gold throne.

With Rose standing beside him.

"Christian!"

My gaze immediately fell to the person who screamed my name. The shock from seeing Rose almost evaporated as I saw Lissa. She was tied to a chair with six Guardians surrounding her.

I immediately wanted to run to her but Belikov was still holding me back.

Then everything stopped.

I turned to glance at the fighting to see the Strigoi strewn on the floor. There hadn't been as many as I thought, just maybe fifteen.

But that wasn't what made everything stop.

Viktor started to speak.

* * *

I listened as Viktor began to speak. He was going to tell his story about how he had planned everything. How he had charmed the Queen and made her test Rose's powers. How he had arranged my kidnapping and how he escaped from prison. The newly arrived Guardians listened as I had. He had already told me. And I still couldn't believe it.

So while I listened I kept my gaze on Rose though I wanted to desperately wanted to see Christian. I still couldn't believe he was here.

Rose was standing on Viktor's right side. She was wearing tight black pants with boots that laced to her knees and a tight black shirt with a violet vest. I could also easily see the _chotki_ I had given her. It was on the wrist where her _Promise Mark_ was etched in to her skin. Something even more unsettling was the necklace she wore. It was the one Viktor had given her with the lust charm either that or a very similar one. Her hair was tied and draped over one shoulder. Her sword was at her waist while I could easily see a gun in a holster at her back. She also had a knife in a sheath around her leg.

Her eyes never wavered. She was staring at the back wall. Her arms were held behind her back in a at ease stance. She looked completely ready to fight, yet she didn't move.

And she was standing with the wrong people.

Viktor's voice caught my attention, I hadn't realized I hadn't heard his last few words.

He was now speaking to Dimitri.

"Are you surprised Belikov? I mean you must have seen her acting off? Surely someone like you wouldn't have missed the signs?"

Dimitri continued to gaze at Rose.

"What did you do to her?" someone asked from behind him. My eyes caught on Janine's short figure.

Viktor smiled, "Dear Janine, I did nothing to dear Rosemarie."

She wanted to argue I could see but Rose moved. She stood up straighter and glanced around. Viktor said something to her and she went back to staring. I knew Rose, she was getting anxious.

Viktor continued on his speech.

"The Moroi will be glad to have me as their King. I can do more for them than any of our rulers before. With me, we can rule what is rightfully ours to begin with."

"What about the Strigoi?" Alberta piped in. "How do they feel about you ruling?"

Viktor smiled but didn't get a chance to comment.

"Enough," someone said from behind me.

I turned my head to see a Strigoi walking towards Viktor.

It was the first time I saw Viktor's face flash with fear. He quickly covered it though. I watched this newcomer with fear and hatred.

He strolled to where Rose stood. He looked her up and down, "So useful," he muttered.

"Zacharie," Viktor said in greeting.

The Strigoi named Zacharie turned to Viktor. "Dashkov I think your part of the deal is finished."

Viktor gazed at Zacharie curiously.

"I brought you the girls, now I get the throne."

"Why the hell are you helping a Moroi?" Christian asked. "Aren't you supposed to just want to kill us all?"

Zacharie turned to Christian and I was frightened out of my wit.

Zacharie smiled, "Something like that, but some Moroi are more useful than others. Like the Dragomir Princess."

"Then why are you helping Viktor?" Christian asked. I could tell he was trying to stall whatever was going to happen. I watched as more and more Guardians seemed to flit closer to me.

"Who says I'm helping him?" Zacharie asked with a smile.

Viktor's face flashed with so many emotions it was hard to tell what he was feeling. He stood up to watch Zacharie who was now on the other side of Rose.

"It looks like your helping him to me," Janine said. She moved up to the front as more of the back Guardians inched their way towards me.

"Oh no, I'm not helping him. He's helping me. He is just as easily disposable as any of you."

"Excuse me?" asked an enraged Viktor. "If it weren't for me Rosemarie would still be in the Land of the Dead. If it weren't for me you wouldn't have known how to call her back."

Zacharie just smiled and walked over to Viktor. "Luckily you've called her back and told me how to control her. Your deed is done."

I watched horrified as Zacharie reached out and grabbed Viktor. With one twist of his wrist Viktor's neck snapped and he fell to the ground. The Guardian's surrounding me fidgeted in their horror. Their master had just been killed. And I'm guessing Viktor was the only reason they hadn't been lunch already.

Just as Viktor fell doors behind me and all over the room opened to allow Strigoi to flood in to the room. I watched horrified as the Guardians took off to the fight. Dimitri and Christian were already battling.

I turned to one of the worried Guardians beside me. "Untie me!" I pleaded. He looked at me and then back to the fight. When he glanced back I used as much compulsion as I could summon. He immediately untied me. Strigoi started to rush at them and they joined the fight.

I ran towards Rose. I didn't care that the man who had just killed Viktor was a few feet away. I needed Rose to snap out of whatever was wrong.

I grabbed her shoulders and shook her.

She never looked at me. Just kept staring at the wall.

"Rose!" I screamed, "wake up!"

"Oh your dear Rose can't wake up now. I have complete control over her," said the sickly sweet voice of Zacharie. And just as he did Rose took my arms and shoved me towards a wall. I fell with my head cracking on the ground.

"Go fight my dear, show no mercy," Zacharie said to Rose.

With one swift move she unsheathed her sword and entered the ring.

**I would be afraid...very afraid. Frightened, scared, running away screaming. Would you want to fight Rose when she has a sword and all you have is a stake? And don't forget she has a gun too.**

**Thanks for reading, theres more twists to come by the way, review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters because I'm sick of writing these.**

**Okay well here is the apparently highly anticipated chapter eleven. Hehehe I hope you enjoy.**

11

Chaos was everywhere. Guardians were slaughtering Strigoi left and right while some fell as well. I hesitantly sat up. I blinked to clear my vision. I put my hand to the back of my head. There wasn't any blood so I took that as a good sign. I just had a huge knot from where I had hit it.

I searched the crowd to find Rose. She was on the edge of the fight watching. She looked as if she was finding a target.

I didn't think. I just ran to her.

This time though I stopped a bit out of her reach.

"Rose please, it's me Lissa? Remember?"

She glanced at me and I guess decided I wasn't a threat. She didn't acknowledge me any further.

"Please Rose, you can stop this," I pleaded reaching for her shoulder.

Her sword swung at me and I immediately ducked. I felt the whoosh of air right above my head and heard the sword make contact with the wall.

I backed away completely frightened but still determined.

She glared at me and easily pulled her sword the four inches out of the wall. She advanced.

"Rose please," I pleaded again trying to use compulsion. She didn't stop.

She brandished her sword again and I walked backwards towards where I had been before.

She started to swing but someone caught her arm. I looked to see Zacharie smiling at me.

"Now Rose I told you, we are not killing Princess Dragomir."

I watched as disappointment flashed across Rose's face. I could feel hot tears stream down my face.

She lowered her sword and turned back to the fight.

Zacharie just looked at me, "At least not yet," he said with a smirk.

I backed against a wall. I could see several people dead already, and now Rose's attention was back on the people out there, our friends.

I searched for Christian, hoping he was still okay.

Zacharie though, stood and watched the fight with greedy eyes. He made no move to restrain me but he was watching me out of the corner of his eye. I had no way of getting out of this corner.

* * *

I knew I had to get there. I looked at the two Guardians that were stationed with me. They both looked anxious beyond belief. They too wanted to be in the fight, not here babysitting me.

"You two should go, I'll be okay out here by my self," I suggested casually.

One snorted, "I highly doubt that."

"Oh I'm sure I'll be fine," I said again moving to stand between the two.

"Don't look at him in the eyes," one warned.

"I'm insulted," I said with mock anger, "you think _I_would use compulsion to make you go do something you want? Tsk tsk Guardians, tsk tsk."

I could almost hear them rolling their eyes.

"Hey look over there," I said pointing towards the opposite side of the street, "I think someone is coming!" I said a bit louder.

They both turned and went on the other side of the car. "You see right there between those two houses," I said again opening the drivers door.

"I don't see anything," one grumbled.

I was already sitting in the drivers seat with my hands on the ignition key, "Oh I'm sorry my mistake," I said revving the engine. I took off with one of them trying to force the door open.

I skidded across the road as I turned on to the street the house was on. I didn't obey parking regulations. I parked half on the curb half on the road. I flew from the car grabbing one of the stakes that had been in the car and made my way to the shed. I knew exactly where I was going, and considering the lights were on in the right tunnels would make it just as easy to get there.

* * *

We never had a chance to make our way towards Lissa. The fighting began as soon as Viktor was killed. Strigoi had started spilling in to the room. Christian was fighting his hardest to keep his power up. I think the adrenaline and the fear of not getting to Lissa were the only things keeping him going. We tried to make our way to the front but kept getting pushed back.

When I finally killed the two Strigoi I was battling I had a window of time to look at the fight. We still had good numbers, most of the Strigoi attacking were new. I didn't want to admit that a few of them had been from the other group. But what caught my eye was Rose. She had her sword aimed for Lissa. I watched horrified as she swung at Lissa's neck. I sighed in relief when Lissa ducked. Rose's sword went in to the wall. I didn't have enough time to see what else happened because I was noticed.

I raised my stake and started battling again. Moving in and out of grasp and then finally plunging my stake through the Strigoi's heart. I've had to do this so many times its like a second nature.

After dispelling another Strigoi I found an opening in the fight. I grabbed Christian by the arm and hauled him through it. We ended up by the door we had entered. It was sheltered by a column. We could stay unnoticed for at least a minute.

Or so I thought.

**Okay so yeah I know...another cliffhanger. But here's a worse one...I might update again tonight...**

**Haha oh and to a review that I got today. Rose's weapon that could shift from sword to stake. She still has it, its' just a sword at the moment. She likes that better because its easier for her to fight with.**

**Thanks for reading, review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

**Well here is chapter twelve as promised. I like this chapter...I don't know why though... ;D**

12

Rose flew out of nowhere, her sword swinging towards my head as fast as lightning. I ducked and pushed Christian towards the safest place. Her sword connected with the wall and before she could release it I kicked her. The sword clambered to the ground when she lost touch with it, leaving just a hilt in its place.

I glanced at Christian and he grabbed it and tossed it across the room. She glared at him with fire in her eyes. She took out a knife and started at me again.

"Rose," I said in warning.

She didn't acknowledge me, just kept coming. She swept at me and I dodged. I would have to fight her.

My stake in hand I lunged at her trying to avoid anything major, she however was not. She was fighting to win, to kill.

"Roza please this isn't you!" I yelled as I barely dodged one of her lunges.

She stopped and looked at me, her knife still raised to strike. Something in her eyes flickered and she blinked. Then she rolled her head and her eyes were filled with fire again. She took me off guard and got the stake from my hand.

But she didn't attack me she flung the stake behind her with such velocity it buried in to the chest of a Strigoi that was approaching her. She turned to glare at it, "You don't attack me you asshole."

Instead of turning back to finish me off she went off in the direction of her sword, or rather her hilt.

"Something changed in her just then," Christian said scrambling to his feet to stand beside me.

I nodded but then grabbed him. We didn't have enough time to just sit around. We ran around the chaos towards the front where Lissa and the Strigoi named Zacharie were standing.

Lissa's face brightened as she saw Christian. I however took the other stake I had and lunged at Zacharie. He smiled and danced around my lunge. He was skilled, I could tell he was ancient.

He dodged more than he fought. He didn't seem to want to fight. He motioned towards the fighting and a knife flew so close to my head it grazed my ear. I turned to see an angry Rose once again with a sword. Zacharie laughed.

"I would say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned but it doesn't seem to apply here as well as it would have if I had been saying it to Dashkov. But anyways Rose," he said motioning to her again.

"Kill him," he said simply.

And she lunged towards me yet again.

* * *

I watched in horror as Rose flew towards Dimitri. She turned so fast I was sure Dimitri was going to be hit with her sword. But he blocked it expertly, even though all he had was a stake.

Christian held on to me tightly.

"We need to go," he whispered desperately.

I shook my head, "We'll never get out of here."

"Well we can try," he said pulling me towards the left.

We ran for where the Guardians had entered. Fighting was still happening. A Strigoi ran at us with a hungry look in its eyes. But before he got to us he was engulfed in flames. A nearby Guardian took advantage and staked him through the heart as he burned.

We ran hard for the door, and right as Christian grabbed for the handle the door flew open.

Christian grabbed me and threw me behind him.

"Adrian what the hell are you doing here?" I asked from behind Christian's back.

He looked at me then at Christian and then at the fighting.

"Where's Rose?"

"How do you know about Rose?" Christian asked.

Adrian turned frantic eyes back to Christian. "We haven't the bloody time for asinine questions, where is she?"

"She's fighting Dimitri," I said turning back. Indeed they were still fighting.

Adrian took off towards them.

I looked at Christian.

We both took off after Adrian.

"We're idiots," Christian said as we were running.

Adrian, who had a stake, was standing off to the side of Rose and Dimitri.

He looked as if he was going to jump in the fight.

"Adrian!" I protested.

He looked back at me, "We have to get the _chotki_!"

"What are you talking about?" Christian asked. I could tell from his tone of voice that he thought Adrian had lost it.

"We have to get the _chotki_."

"Why?" Christian asked taking a step closer to me.

Adrian turned from the fight back to us again.

"Does it fucking matter why?" He turned towards Dimitri, "Get the fucking _chotki_!"

Dimitri heard him because I saw him glance sideways though he never lost his concentration. Rose just glared at Adrian and continued fighting.

A Strigoi came running towards us. Dimitri saw it and backed towards us. Adrian with his stake looked violent.

But Rose swung her sword in a graceful arc and the Strigoi's head fell to the ground.

"This is my fight," she muttered.

Taking his chance Adrian lunged at Rose. Beads clattered to the ground and rolled in all sorts of directions. He wasn't fast enough to get away unscathed.

Her sword swung towards him and caught his turning back. He keeled over in pain as his shirt fluttered open around him. Blood seeped from the diagonal slash from his shoulder to his waist.

Dimitri immediately lunged towards to save Adrian from another attack from Rose. He hit Rose so hard it sent her to the ground. The sword clattering out of her hand went back to being a hilt.

Dimitri dragged Adrian out of the way and towards us and turned back to Rose.

_He's going to have to kill her,_ I thought. _There's no other way to stop her._

I turned my head in to Christian's shoulder. Tears leaked from my eyes and stained his shirt with salt water.

A hoarse voice made me turn back.

"Dimitri?"

**Hehehehehehehehehehehehehe I know I'm evil. Just plain pure evil. You know why? There's still more twists to come.**

**Haha!**

**Thanks for reading, review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters that don't say see previous chapters. :)**

**Okay so here is chapter thirteen. If you read chapter tweleve and it had nothing to do with this story it was a glitch. My computer hates me and something messed up and I got kicked out. So for some reason it replaced the chapter with a chapter from my other story Moonlight. Anyways that is changed and its back to the real chapter twelve.**

**So this is chapter thirteen...its someone elses view on what happened earlier...hehehe. I think the first sentence will clue you in to who is speaking. ;)**

13

You know the shittiest thing about my life at the moment is that it's not mine.

To control that is.

I'm trapped in my own head, completely aware that I'm doing something I would never in a million lifetimes ever even think about doing.

Like guarding Viktor Dashkov. I have somehow become his freaky Guardian slave. Whenever he tells me to do something I have to do it. And I can't refuse.

Oh and believe me I've tried…several times. When he got tired of my cursing, English and Russian, he told me not to speak.

So I stopped talking.

He is so going to pay for this. I'm going to kill him and chop him in to tiny little pieces and then let Christian set them on fire. Then I'm going to take his ashes and turn them in to a diamond so I can drop him in to a pit of lava so he will be completely destroyed. (I've had a lot of time to think, and I was watching the Discovery channel before I 'died' the other day and it said something about taking human ashes and making a diamond out of it. The lava on the other hand…no idea why.)

As of now I get to stand beside Viktor. Lissa is now here, I've heard them talking about her for awhile now. I can see her barely, I was told to keep my eyes on the back wall and she's off to the side.

He's been telling her his evil plan just like any stereotypical supervillian. And he's not even the mastermind.

Viktor was now staring at the entrance to the tunnels. With my sensitive hearing I could hear feet pounding towards us.

Guardians burst through the door in groups.

"You will not recognize any of them," Viktor whispered to me.

I blinked.

Viktor started talking and I continued to stare at the back wall.

"Are you surprised Belikov?" knocked me back to attention. The name sounded familiar but I couldn't remember.

Someone from the crowd of Guardians stepped up, "What did you do to her?"

I wondered who they were talking about.

"Dear Janine, I did nothing to dear Rosemarie."

_Huh, they're talking about me._ I shrugged it off.

A funny feeling went through me and I stood up straighter, I looked around the room searching for something.

"You will not recognize them and you will not move again until I tell you to," Viktor growled under his breath.

I went back to staring at the wall.

Viktor and the Guardians argued more but I tuned it out.

Though when Zacharie, the Strigoi helping Viktor came out, I focused on the conversation. This was what I was waiting for, the cue to fight.

He strolled over to me and stopped. He looked me up and down, "So useful," he said in a sickly sweet voice.

"Zacharie," Viktor greeted.

"Dashkov I think your part of the deal is finished," Zacharie said in a final type of voice.

Viktor argued as usual, "I brought you the girls, now I get the throne."

Someone from the crowd shouted at Zacharie, "Why the hell are you helping Moroi? Aren't you supposed to just want to kill us all?"

Zacharie turned towards the crowd, "Something like that, but some Moroi are more useful than others. Like the Dragomir Princess."

"Then why are you helping Viktor?" asked the same narcissistic voice.

"Who says I'm helping him?" Zacharie asked in a voice that was laced with menace if you knew what to listen for.

"It looks like your helping him to me," a female voice called out.

"Oh no, I'm not helping him. He's helping me. He is just as easily disposable as any of you."

Viktor leapt to his feet, "Excuse me? If it weren't for me Rosemarie would still be in the Land of the Dead. If it weren't for me you wouldn't have known how to call her back."

Zacharie smiled and walked over to stand in front of Viktor. I knew what he was going to do before he spoke.

"Luckily you've called her back and told me how to control her. Your deed is done."

Zacharie reached out and snapped Viktor's neck as easily as if it had been a twig.

As soon as the body hit the floor doors opened emitting the backup Strigoi. Fighting erupted across the room.

I stayed in my place and watched the fighting.

Someone ran over to me and grabbed my shoulders. The annoying blond who they had brought in earlier.

She shook me but I didn't look at her. I tried to ignore her and keep my eyes on the wall.

"Rose!" she screamed, "wake up!"

Zacharie spoke, "Oh your dear Rose can't wake up now. I have complete control over her."

I smiled and took the girls arms. I slung her towards the wall and listened as her head cracked on the floor.

"Go fight my dear, show no mercy."

I smiled and went off to the fight with my sword aimed and ready.

I went in to the middle of the fighting. I recognized a few of the Guardians that had been guarding Viktor. So I went for them. They were much easier than fighting Strigoi, not as powerful.

I shoved my sword through the first ones heart and slice open another's neck all in the same swing.

A Strigoi came towards me and I cut him down as well. I was told to fight. He didn't specify on who not to kill so I took that as kill all threats.

I circled around the fighting and scanned it for the most fighting so I could get in on it.

The blond ran up to me, "Rose please, it's me Lissa? Remember?"

I glanced at her but ignored her. She had no weapon.

"Please Rose, you can stop this," she pleaded.

She was getting on my nerves. I swung my sword towards her clearly visible neck. She ducked and my sword sank in to the wall. I glared at the girl and wrenched my sword from the wall. I swung it again and took after her as she started to walk backwards.

"Rose please," she begged.

I started to swing at her again but a strong arm grabbed mine. I looked at Zacharie who was smiling, "Now Rose I told you, we are not killing Princess Dragomir."

I felt disappointment but decided it wasn't worth it. I turned back to the fight.

**Well there you go. A whole chapter without ONE point of view switch. Anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter even though it had to repeat some things you've already heard. It does however clue you in to a few things.**

**Thanks for reading, review!!!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I'm not...see previous chapters.**

**Okay so here is chapter fourteen, yay! I like this one too.**

14

I scanned the fighting and my eyes caught on two figures slipping behind a column. With a smile I took my sword and ran towards the two who thought they could hide.

I swung at the tall ones head and my sword once again made contact with the wall. He pushed the black haired one towards a wall out of my reach and kicked me. I was a bit surprised when I fell back losing my grip on my sword. It fell to the ground and returned to its passive form.

The black haired one grabbed it and threw it in to the mess of the fight. I glared at him and seriously thought about just going after him. I took out my knife and went to the other one because he was more of a threat.

"Rose," the man said in warning.

I ignored it and swept at him. He dodged. He didn't want to fight me.

I could blame him, he was going to die.

With a stake he lunged at my side. I easily moved out of the way and swept my knife towards his throat.

"Roza please this isn't you!" he yelled at me.

Something about that made me stop. I took in the man's face with my knife still raised. His long brown hair was tied at his neck, his dark eyes looked at me with something I couldn't identify. Something about that….

Another feeling took over me and my eyesight went out of focus. I rolled my head with my eyes closed and when I opened them all feelings were gone again.

I lunged for the stake he was holding and easily took it. However I heard the gross incoming of a Strigoi. I really hated those things coming anywhere near me. Without turning I took the stake and flung it behind me. I heard it hit its target. I turned to glare, "You don't attack me you asshole," I said as the red headed Strigoi fell to the ground.

Instead of finishing off this dhampir and Moroi I went in search for my weapon. As I made my way a Guardian from Viktor's group ran to me, he thought I would help him.

I emptied my clip in to him and his friends that also started to come to me. I didn't like guns so I decided to just get rid of it. I tossed it aside, empty.

When I found my sword a Strigoi was holding it. I pushed my way through the fighting took the handle and the sword instantly rematerialized going straight through the Strigoi. I smiled and drew it out of the dead corpse.

A feeling like someone was pulling me made me turn back to the front. Zacharie was battling that brown headed man from before. I growled in anger for my lapse in judgment with him. I took off in their direction. I took my knife and aimed at the man's head. I threw it as hard as I could and it flew a bit of course and grazed his ear. I bit my lip in frustration and grabbed my sword again and took off running towards the fight.

"I would say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned but it doesn't seem to apply here as well as it would have if I had been saying it to Dashkov," Zacharie said tauntingly towards the brown haired man. "But anyways Rose," he said motioning to me. "Kill him."

I smiled and lunged towards him.

I struck with a deathly blow that I was disappointed that he blocked. I turned on my heel and swung again towards his head. He ducked out of the way.

The blond and the other guy that were watching us decided to bolt. I was told not to let the girl get away but I figured Zacharie told me to kill this one so I would.

"Roza," the man said dodging another attack. I didn't know why he kept calling me that. It wasn't my name, my name was Rosemarie. No z in it at all.

His stake lunged at me and nearly struck. I narrowed my eyes in anger and lashed out at him again. He backed away and snaked around me.

This one was good.

Our fighting picked up pace. I turned on my heel and swung again his hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. His grip was firm as he held my sword above my head. I tried to throw him off of me.

"Roza listen, this isn't you."

I pushed him away and stumbled back a few paces. I shook my head and got a better grip on my sword. I lunged at him again but he dodged, he was a slippery bastard.

Someone ran up to us and just watched, he held a stake. But at the moment he wasn't doing anything besides frantically watching so I paid him no attention.

"Adrian!" someone yelled.

The guy looked at the now returning blond and the black haired guy. What the hell was with these idiots?

"We have to get the _chotki_," the new guy yelled.

They argued for a bit while I wondered what the hell they were talking about and why it sounded familiar.

"Does if fucking matter why?" the guy yelled. He turned towards the man I was fighting, "Get the fucking _chotki_!"

I glared at the new guy wondering if I could cut him down without putting my self at risk.

Before I could do anything a Strigoi ran towards us. In anger of my fight getting interrupted again I swung my sword at him so fast it wiped his head right from his shoulders.

"This is my fight," I spat at his rolling head.

I turned my focus back but was taken by surprised as the new guy lunged at me. I felt a blade slice at my arm and immediately swung my sword at him. It hit him and cut him from his shoulder to his waist. I watched as he fell to the ground with a shower of beads. The bracelet I had been wearing had been sliced off by his blade, my vision went foggy and something felt off.

The brown haired man I had been fighting so constantly lunged at the fallen man and hit me so hard I lost my breath. I fell to the ground with my sword slinging from my hand and clattering to the ground.

I stared at the ceiling of the room.

The man dragged the unconscious man away from me and then with his stake came for me.

Pain started to coarse through every fiber of my being. My head seared as the man stood over me. I blinked to clear my vision so I could see him.

Something happened and…"Dimitri?" I struggled to say through the pain.

**Hmmm interesting...I wonder...if I have any more twists...the answer is yes.**

**Hehehe sorry, thanks for reading, review!!!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: Yeah, I'm not Richelle Mead. So that means that I don't own anything from her books, just the stuff I make up.**

**Okay so this was requested by a certain person, you know who you are ;) , anyways so here is some other persons view of the fight.**

15

In all of my life as a Guardian I never expected something this catastrophic to happen.

Walking in to this I had expected to see Viktor Dashkov.

I was not expecting Rose.

But there she stood, tall and obedient.

From the way she was positioned I knew she was his personal Guardian. And from the way she was dressed I hoped that was all she was.

I wanted to be able to say I never understood my daughter. But I was like her once.

A very long time ago.

But Rose has been through so much, I never expected her to switch sides like this.

So being her mother, I knew it was wrong.

"What did you do to her?" I asked interrupting Viktor's tirade.

He smiled down on me like I was a young child asking for a piece of candy.

"Dear Janine, I did nothing to dear Rosemarie."

I wanted to lash out at him and tell him he was a fool if he thought I believed him. But controlling outbursts could save lives. I didn't know what he would do yet, so I needed to be careful.

My eyes flicked to Rose as she straightened her stance and glanced around. It was like she had woken up from something. I could see Viktor whisper something under his breath that some might have missed. Rose snapped back in to her attention and stared at the wall behind us.

Viktor continued his speech, pretending nothing happened. A few of us started inching closer to where the Princess was being held. If fighting did occur, we needed to get her out as soon and as safely as possible.

"The Moroi will be glad to have me as their King. I can do more for them than any of our rulers before. With me, we can rule what is rightfully ours to begin with."

"What about the Strigoi?" Guardian Petrov questioned. "How do they feel about you ruling?"

Viktor smiled again but didn't speak.

A new comer strolled in to the room. I immediately tensed as I recognized a Strigoi. My hand clasped on to my stake.

"Enough," the man said in a cool voice. I could tell just from that one word he was ancient and powerful.

"So useful," he muttered as he stopped by Rose. I felt sickened when his eyes flitted over her.

"Zacharie," Viktor greeted.

"Dashkov I think your part of the deal is finished."

"I brought you the girls, now I get the throne," Viktor said with a little anticipation in his voice.

"Why the hell are you helping Moroi? Aren't you supposed to just want to kill us all?" Christian Ozera yelled out. I glared at Guardian Belikov. He was supposed to keep Christian hidden and quiet.

Zacharie turned to stare at Christian. I could see a hungry look etch in to the lines of his face. "Something like that, but some Moroi are more useful than others. Like the Dragomir Princess."

I looked at the Princess. She was tied to a chair with traitors guarding her. They looked on edge, ready for a fight.

"Then why are you helping Viktor?" Christian asked again. More of us crept closer to the Princess. "Who says I'm helping him?"

I barely nodded my head as Guardian Belikov gave me the sign. We knew something was amiss, the way Zacharie was speaking hinted of danger.

Viktor's face flashed and he leapt to his feet.

"It looks like your helping him to me," I said as I moved up to the front of the group so it looked as if the Guardians were just moving out of my way, not slipping closer.

"Oh no, I'm not helping him. He's helping me. He is just as easily disposable as any of you."

With these words I knew what was going to happen.

"Excuse me?" Viktor asked red faced. "If it weren't for me Rosemarie would still be in the Land of the Dead. If it weren't for me you wouldn't have known how to call her back."

Zacharie smiled again and walked over to stand in front of Viktor, "Luckily you've called her back and told me how to control her. Your deed is done."

His hands snaked out so fast I almost didn't see it. He snapped Viktor's neck so swiftly Viktor didn't even see it coming.

As soon as the body hit the floor doors opened on the sides of the room allowing Strigoi to spill in.

I rushed towards the Princess as the first of the battles began. I didn't get any where near her. With my staked raised I began to battle with a newer Strigoi. He was somewhat over six feet tall and had shaggy blond hair. He looked as if he had been Moroi. I staked him through the heart after two lunges and moved on. I tried to make my way to the Princess.

But it was useless. As soon as I killed a Strigoi another one popped up. I ended up battling with Guardian Petrov in the middle somewhere. We helped each other as the Strigoi rushed at us.

When I had destroyed the Strigoi I was fighting I glanced around hurriedly at what was happening.

And I got to see Rose swinging a sword straight at the Princess's head. For a second I thought she had succeeded in decapitating her best friend but was relieved to see the Princess leap back up and start backing away as Rose tore her sword from the wall. I made my way towards them trying to get Rose's attention on me rather than the Princess.

Before I got to her though Zacharie stopped Rose himself. A Strigoi caught me so I didn't get to see what happened. I battled her for awhile, she was skilled, she had been a dhampir. The next time I got to glance up I saw Rose killing a Guardian. I rushed at her but was blocked again by yet another Strigoi. This one however was fighting another Guardian. When I finished with him and was standing beside the fallen Guardian I realized that it was one of the traitors. I looked up as Rose killed yet again another traitor.

And that's when it happened.

I was caught off guard.

Because I was worried about Rose even though she was on the wrong side.

Something sharp and cold sliced in to my back. I turned on my heel and immediately had to block another attack. The Strigoi was a human before, I could tell by his short stance. He had a knife and as it struck me again, this time on the arm, I kicked out. I hit him in the gut and he stumbled back.

My kicks were stronger than my punches.

Ignoring the blood dripping from my back and arm I attacked him. I lashed out with my stake but he dodged it. He smiled the whole time we were dancing this fight. I lunged he dodged. He lunged I dodged. It was a very intense fight he lost.

I turned faking him out. He lunged for my unprotected side and I staked him in the back as I tripped him.

I took a ragged breath. The cut in my back was deep and he had barely missed my wrist. Not that it would have mattered, my wrist was protected.

I moved in and out of the fighting. It looked as if it was calming down. I could tell instantly though that we had lost great number of Guardians.

That's when I saw Rose's sword slash down Adrian Ivashkov's back.

I had no idea why the idiot Moroi was even here. He had been left with two Guardians. Now he was lying on the floor bleeding as Guardian Belikov attacked my daughter.

I saw her hit the floor.

And then I did as something crashed in to me.

I kicked at the Strigoi and nailed him in the face. I struggled and got out of his grip and my fight started again.

**Well...hmm I wonder what happens to Janine? Oh well.**

**Haha just kidding, I will tell you guys later because guess who comes next! And yes it will be another recap, but one I think you will enjoy if you like hot Russians. But it will only recap a little, then it will get back to the present time. Hehehe I know I'm evil for even telling you about that!**

**Thanks for reading, review!!!**


	16. AUTHORS NOTE

**Author's Note**

So yeah…not what y'all wanted I know. But I just can't type right now. I got in to a car accident a few days ago. I was dropping my friend off before I had to go to work. A car pulled out of a side road and hit the door behind me. I had a friend in the passenger seat and the seat behind her. We got pushed by the other car then we swerved twice and then we ended up flipping twice and landing upside down in the other lane going the opposite direction.

Yes it sounds bad I know. My car is totaled, and I seriously loved that car, but we're all okay. We were all wearing our seatbelts, that's the only reason why we are alive. The police, the ambulance, the firemen, everyone says we should not be here. And let me tell you…hanging upside down in a car…not fun. Not at all, I highly recommend you don't try it.

The worst injury that came from this accident was a cut on my friends foot that required staples. My other friend is absolutely fine other than her face is swollen from where she thinks a trig book hit her. Me…well I have road rash on my left arm, my knuckles are unrecognizable, and my head isn't doing very good. I've been getting dizzy so I have to go back to the doctors. Other than that we're all fine. Oh and we're really sore.

I just wanted to let you all know that I'm okay and recovering. And that it has taken entirely way to long for me to write this. But at least I feel accomplished for typing this with one hand!

**~Kaiai**

**p.s. WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS!!!**


	17. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything from her stories, just the stuff I make up.**

**Yay! I'm back! Woo hoo I can type once again! Yay! So here is the apparently highly anticiapted chapter sixteen. Thank you all for your concerns! I so appreciate it. And I would like to inform the reason I couldn't move my hand was because there was a piece of glass in my hand. Yeah, a piece of glass. The idiot called the ER doctor didn't xray anything but my neck so when I went back to the doctor for my follow up they finally did all that, good thing to considering i couldn't move my fingers, and found it. SIX DAYS LATER! I didn't get it removed till the next day so that wonderful piece of windshield was in my hand for a week. I also found out I had a concussion and severe whiplash. Yeah. Tons of fun. Now I'm in physical thearapy for my back, neck and hand. Yay. I'm doing much better now, I can finally type! My friends are also fine now. No more problems with that. And I got a new car!**

**Enough about my near death experiences and back to the story!**

16

"Kill him," the Strigoi said with a snakelike grin. He walked away to leave Rose and I alone.

Rose smiled and lunged.

She struck at me with such deadly force that I was surprised. But I taught her that, I blocked it. She turned on her heel so swiftly I almost didn't duck in time. I crouched and tightened my grip on my stake as Christian and Lissa ran towards safety.

I jumped back, dodging another blow. "Roza," I said in exasperation.

Her brow furrowed and I lunged. She dodged it and lashed out as I slipped around her, just out of her reach.

Anger flashed on her face and she started swinging her sword in expert moves. I quickened my pace to avoid the shining metal.

She turned on her heel and I took my chance, snaking my way with her on her turn I grabbed her wrist. I held her sword above her hand.

"Roza listen, this isn't you," I said in a hurry as she tried to throw me off.

She succeeded and I stumbled back. She shook her head and tightened her grip on her sword. She lunged again and I easily maneuvered around her.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Adrian Ivaskov run up to us. That right there almost made me stop moving. When Lissa and Christian ran up beside him I narrowly missed Rose's sword as it arced towards my head.

The three idiots were arguing as Rose swung her sword at me once more and I stopped it with the stake. I didn't want to kill Rose. But having her next to these three was not going to work. She could easily grab one. I tried to push her back towards the thick of the fighting and away from the idiots.

"Does it fucking matter why?" Adrian yelled. I glanced at him and he stared me down, "Get the fucking _chotki_!"

He was telling me what to do.

Before I could act a Strigoi noticed us and ran like a bulldozer towards us.

Rose's sword shot out so smoothly I don't even think the Strigoi realized it. His head came off swiftly and rolled across the room.

"This is my fight," Rose spat at it.

That's when Adrian took his chance. He lunged with the stake he had been holding. He struck out at her wrist as her sword came down on his back. Blood and beads littered the floor as Adrian fell. His shirt flapped open behind him and I could see the cut from his right shoulder to his left hip.

It was deep.

I was not going to let him die.

I lunged towards Adrian to block him from any more attacks and kicked Rose so hard my knees buckled.

She fell, her sword clattering to the ground.

I leaned off of Adrian to pull him away from Rose. I didn't know how long she was down for. Not much seemed to stop her anymore.

Lissa and Christian grabbed Adrian and hauled him farther away as I stood up and went to the still grounded figure.

Her hair was fanned out around her head, it had come loose earlier. It looked like a black halo.

She was staring up at the ceiling as I stood over her. She blinked and then looked at me. She was in pain, I could tell.

But then she said something that re-broke my heart.

"Dimitri."

Her eyes rolled back in her head and her whole body shook. I dropped to my knees and held her head in my hands. A rasping gasp left her lips as she started to glow with a dark light. Her convulsion worsened and it was all I could do to keep her from banging her head into a bloody pulp. I held her tightly through the whole thing.

Minutes later she stopped. I opened my eyes not realizing I had closed them to see Lissa smiling weakly at me. Her hand rested over Rose's heart. The dark light that had encased Rose earlier was gone.

Lissa backed off and collapsed by Christian.

I looked down in to Rose's eyes to see her staring back at me.

"Dimitri," she said in a pained voice.

"Roza, oh Roza," I said hugging her closer.

She didn't move to push me away which was all I could ask for.

I realized moments later though that a fight was still going on.

She seemed to come to the same realization because she struggled to move. I had no clue as to what had just happened to her but I suspected that she wouldn't be able to move.

I picked her up and held her in my arms. I ran her to where Christian and Lissa were hiding Adrian. They had overturned the 'throne' Viktor had been using.

"Watch her," I said turning back to the fight.

"Yeah like we don't have other things to do then to watch a murdering psychopath," Christian said pressing his shirt to Adrian's wound.

I glanced back to see Rose unmoving staring at nothing.

I hoped that she would stay.

* * *

I was back. And it hurt like hell. I was leaning up against the wall staring at my weapon that lay to far away to get.

My chest hurt, my back hurt, my head hurt, my wrist hurt, basically everything hurt. But it wasn't a seriously mind scalding pain as before. Lissa had done something, I'm sure of it. I could taste magic in my mouth.

Dimitri had told Christian and Lissa to watch me. Christian had replied in his usual snarky tone so I knew he was still an asshole. Lissa was trying to stop the bleeding that Adrian was suffering from. She had used up way to much energy doing whatever she had done to me.

I needed to do something.

My eyes travelled back to the fighting before me. Dimitri was fighting two Strigoi while other Guardians were rushing towards us. They were here to rescue Lissa and Christian and Adrian.

Not me.

I was dead to them for all they cared. I was surprised no one tried to kill me while I sit here unmoving. If I had been in their place I would have. It might even be better if I just finished my self off for them.

I tested moving my arm, a slight pain but enough to handle.

"Rose come with us," Lissa said coming over to me.

The Guardians stopped in their tracks and glared over at me with to many expressions to count. I looked at Adrian who was stirring. I nodded my head and he reached out for Lissa.

"Leave her," he said hoarsely before he passed back out.

A Guardian grabbed Lissa up and they ran for it. I watched as they made it to the door.

Then I moved again, and again, and again till I reached my sword. As soon as I picked it up my sword came back. The blade shining like it had just been polished.

I smiled and pushed my self up.

Then I took off for my last fight.

**That does not sound good. Not good at all. Because after all...that could mean several different things. I'm not going to clarify anything so you're just going to have to read about it in the next chapter.**

**Oh and Blood Promise. Oh My God. Wow. That was great. Though I will have to say that as soon as all the characters were introduced I guessed every thing that happend. Including that little note at the end...**

**Love y'all lots! Thanks for everything!**

**Thanks for reading! Review!**

**~Kaiai**


	18. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: Yada yada yada I'm not Richelle Mead. I don't own anything from her books just the stuff I make up.**

**Okay so here is chapter seventeen! Enjoy :) (Yes that is a evil grin...)**

17

I bit back the pain that coursed through me. I hadn't realized that I was hurting so bad. Every step was agonizing, it was if I had a knife at my heart and every step was causing it to cut in to me deeper, and deeper. I felt as if I would just fall to pieces right here. But I couldn't.

I leaned against the wall and glanced at the fighting once more.

There were still enough Guardians to keep the Strigoi busy. The nauseous feeling I usually got when I was around them was making my stomach flip and flop adding to the pain. I searched the faces as I stood there trying to find the one person I needed to find.

I found him on the outskirts of the fighting. He was surveying just as I was. He looked up at me as he felt my gaze. He smiled and nodded at me. Then he slipped away out one of the doors.

I moved to fast for my aching legs. They screamed in protest as I began to run. I had to ignore the pain. I ran after him. Through the door and the short hallway to the huge chamber buried beneath the house. I shoved the two old wood doors out of my way to see him standing in the middle of the room smiling as if he had just won the lottery.

"Oh my dear Rosemarie, care to join me on my flight?"

I glared at him, "I don't run out on a fight."

"And that is why you will always lose," he said with a sneer. He raised his hand, palm facing me and I froze.

I couldn't move.

He smiled, "You see, I still have control over you. The _chotki_ was just to magnify it."

I glared and cursed at him.

He closed his hand in to a fist and my eyes widened as I was hit with an invisible force. It made me crumple to the ground gasping out in pain.

He laughed.

"You might be a prize but you won't be anything more than a little rose. Useful in some occasions but just as easily ripped in to pieces."

I stayed unmoving on the floor as he strode over to me.

"Just a small rose, crumpled on the ground, so easy to tread upon," he said in a cool whisper.

The door behind me slammed open once more.

"Ah the lover, how quaint," Zacharie said moving back to the middle of the room.

Warm hands grasped my arm. Dimitri turned me to him and my eyes watered with the pain. Zacharie was laughing once again.

"Roza," he said in a worried whisper.

I tried to speak but found I could not.

Dimitri's brow furrowed as he turned towards Zacharie, "What have you done?"

Zacharie smiled, his fangs shining dangerously, "I have done nothing to her she hasn't deserved. She disobeyed, so she is being punished."

"She does not belong to you," Dimitri countered in a dark voice. I saw hate and anger flash through his face and it was frightening.

Zacharie chuckled, "She does. If it wasn't for me she would not be here," he said clasping his hands together.

"You disturbed the dead. She did not come with her own free will."

"But she was not dead," Zacharie said breaking his hands apart. "No, she was not dead. She had chosen the Land of the Dead. She had the power to run between and she chose the other. Of course she didn't realize that her choice was greatly influenced by outside forces. Didn't realize that that was what we had wanted. For her to separate and become more vulnerable than ever, that is when we struck. She has no free will any longer. She is mine."

Dimitri stood up in front of me, "She is her own," he yelled in such a violent tone I shivered. He pulled out a stake, "Let us finish this," he said to Zacharie.

Zacharie smiled, "Let us not, and let you two dance."

It _wasn't_ me that stood as Zacharie was speaking.

It _wasn't_ me that got a good grip on my sword.

It _was_ me telling Dimitri to duck as my sword cut through the air where he was standing.

* * *

I fell to the ground and rolled away as Rose's sword swept above me. She had warned me just in time. I jumped to my feet and scanned the area. The doors were still ajar and Rose was standing four feet in front of me with her sword ready for an attack. Her face was a mix of emotions. I could see clearly that she was fighting inside. I just had to help her win.

Zacharie walked behind her and twisted a piece of her hair between his fingers.

"Kill him this time, my Rose."

Her eyes glazed over as if she was in a trance and an evil smile lit up her face, a destroying angel.

She rushed at me with speed and I dashed around her, barely avoiding her blind sweep behind her back. I held my stake out to take any of the rushes she was sure to unleash.

"Oh this is hardly fair," Zacharie said in a mocking voice.

I ignored him and focused on removing Rose's sword.

"Here, have a sword," Zacharie said.

I turned to see a sword flying at me. If I hadn't turned at his words it might have struck.

I caught the hilt in my right hand. Rose attacked; my stake fell to the floor with her force. I pushed her away and our swords met with a clatter. She was so skilled.

The fight was moving us all over the room. Rose's feet were moving in a smooth pattern as I kept up with every brandish.

Rose's face was twisted with concentration as she lashed out at me. I countered and soon we were locked, our swords at eye level we were so close.

"Roza, this isn't you. Fight back."

She smiled, "I am fighting," she said and thrust me backwards.

I regained my balance before she jumped at me. Our swords struck each other with a sound like thunder. She twisted like a snake and struck again and once again our swords were locked above us.

"You are the only one who can control you Roza," I said in a hurried whisper.

Rose blinked and a light shone back in her eyes.

Zacharie snaked his way towards us.

"No Rosemarie. You are mine and you will kill this man."

Just as the light appeared it was snuffed out. Her face twisted in a grimace as she tried to break her way apart.

"No Roza. You are your own," I said as she succeeded in breaking her sword loose.

She turned on her heel and in a deadly arc brought her sword slicing through flesh.

**Hmmm...hehehe yes I know I'm evil. But you will just have to wait and find out what happens next with the next chapter!**

**Thanks for reading! Review!**

**(If I get enough persuading reviews tonight I might write up the next chapter and post it later *hint hint*)**


	19. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters because I'm tired of writing these things. :)**

**Okay well here is chapter eighteen...I knew I would end up writing this. Enjoy.**

18

You would think that after all the shit I've been through in life that I would have one _get out of jail free_ card. But no. That won't happen because some thing in this wonderful universe just wants me to suffer.

And oh boy, believe me.

I'm suffering.

A lot.

Not kidding.

Seriously.

You see I'm trapped in my _own_ head. And my thoughts are _very_ colorful at the moment. I didn't know I could curse so many different ways!

While I'm trapped in my head my body is being controlled by an evil jackass that likes to go by the name of Zacharie.

I just call him jackass.

I have no idea how he's doing it anymore. I mean I'm thinking hell no I won't do this but I'm still doing it.

I'm in the middle of a sword fight with the love of my life. But I can't do anything to stop it. He lunges I lunge. He stops I attack.

And I can't stop.

_Stop thinking and start fighting. Kill him, kill him._

The voice is my commander. I must obey it.

For now.

I moved to the left in a graceful arc as I swung my sword back to my side. I sidestepped the man once again and lashed out. He blocked me and that made me angry. I concentrated harder and lashed out again.

He countered and twisted his sword so both of ours were locked at eye level.

He stared straight at me, his face strained. "Roza, this isn't you. Fight back."

He didn't think I was fighting? He hadn't even gotten close to me yet.

I smiled at him, "I am fighting," I said shoving him backwards. I would show him.

He regained his balance quickly. I jumped at him nevertheless, trying to surprise him and get him to stumble. Our swords clashed with a bang.

I twisted around and struck out again. He did the same and got our swords locked above our heads as I had been bringing my sword down.

"You are the only one who can control you Roza," he whispered.

I blinked. His words, they were so….

"No Rosemarie," Zacharie said from beside me. "You are mine and you will kill this man." Zacharie had stepped back. He was glaring at the man my sword was locked with.

I felt the familiar control wash over me. I felt my goal pounding in my head.

Kill him.

_Kill him. Kill him now. Run him through with your sword._

"No Roza. You are your own," the man said. His voice was not pleading. It was certain.

I knew my goal.

I drew my sword loose and turned on my heel in a deadly arc swinging my sword with such power it sliced in to its target with ease.

Blood rained on the floor as I stopped in front of the stunned figure. My sword was dripping with the scarlet rain. My breath was ragged as I stared in to his eyes.

"I am my own," I told Zacharie as his wide eyes started to dull, a silent _no_ frozen on his lips.

Everything hit me at once.

Every injury, every pain I had suffered.

My sword clattered to the ground. My legs wobbled as I stared at the bloody corpse in front of me. I had cut a gash across his chest, piercing his heart in the process.

It was over. I was in control of my self.

So the first thing I did was collapse.

I couldn't move because every time I did pain would make my eyes tear.

"Roza, I have you. It's okay, you're okay," a voice said from beside me. Warm arms encircled me. It felt so good but hurt like hell.

I used all of my available strength to turn my head up to see his dark eyes.

"Dimitri," I said weakly.

"Roza," he said smoothing back my hair so it was out of my eyes.

"I can't…."

He shook me awake and pain flared so thickly that my eyes flew back open.

"Do not leave me Roza. Do not fall asleep."

"I can't," I said again. I just couldn't get the words out.

"You can and you will. Do you hear me? You are not leaving me again," he said gathering me up. He stood in one swift motion and then we were moving. He was running through the short hall towards the big room where the fighting was.

I tried again, "Dimitri."

"Stay with me Roza," he said stepping in to the room.

"I'm going to pass out now," I said quickly. It hurt my throat.

Dimitri stopped moving and looked down at me.

"No. You. Are. Not."

I glared back, "Yes. I. Am."

He took my head in his hand. He pointed my chin so I had to look at him.

"We won. There is no more fighting. Please stay with me."

I didn't let my gaze waver. "I will never leave you."

Then I passed out in to the bliss of darkness and no pain.

So of course I woke up to it.

A blinding light was moving from my right eye to my left.

I reached my hand up and batted it away.

"Well I think she has finally joined us," said a somewhat familiar voice.

I blinked several times before the room came in to focus.

And if I wasn't mistaken I was back at the Academy clinic.

I blinked once more for good measure and then looked at the faces surrounding me.

"Isn't there a limit to how many people can visit at a time?" I asked sarcastically.

Christian who is sitting in a chair at the foot of my bed rolls his eyes, "Yep that's her."

I glared at him.

A blur of blond hair attacked me then.

"Lissa I can't breathe, your hair is strangling me," I said as she hugged me.

"I'm so happy you're back," she said pulling away. Tears were running down her face.

"I'm glad to be back."

I looked at the other faces. Dr. Olendeski was shaking her head in the corner.

Alberta, patched up quite a bit, was standing opposite of Christian's chair. Lissa was to my left while Adrian was in the bed beside me. He was sitting up and smiling at me.

I smiled back at him.

"Your welcome little dhampir," he said.

I shook my head, "Thank you Adrian."

"What are you thanking him for?" Christian asked. He was sitting up straighter. His eyes were flicking back and forth between me and Adrian.

I smiled a devious smile at him.

And didn't answer.

Mainly because a new person walked in.

My eyes went straight to his.

He didn't speak he just rushed straight over to me.

"Roza," he said sitting on the side of the bed.

"Dimitri," I said back.

His lips, softly, touched mine. I closed my eyes and absorbed the feeling. He was being careful. He must know how much pain I was still in.

None of the others had noticed my hands tightly curled over the blanket, barely restraining from ripping it in to shreds.

"I think I need something from that place over by that other place," Christian said getting up.

I saw out of the corner of my eye, everyone leaving. Even Adrian was leaving, he was walking stiffly.

Dimitri pulled back and tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear.

"How are you," he asked prying my hands away from the blanket.

I felt a tear fall down my face and instantly felt ashamed. "I hurt so much. I can barely manage a smile."

He kissed my head, "I'm so sorry. If I hurt you," he trailed off.

I looked up.

"You would never hurt me," I said pulling him back for another kiss. This time, even though it hurt like hell, I kissed him. I let everything I had felt flow in to it. I had missed him so much, and longed for this moment for what seemed like an eternity.

When we broke away several minutes later I spoke again.

"Besides, it's worth it."

Then I went back to the blackness.

**Hmmm wonder what the Adrian thing was about....**

**Thanks for reading, review!!!**


	20. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters :)**

**Sorry about the wait...Tempted...had to finish reading that. So basically I'm ticked. Well sort of anyways.**

**Anyways here is chapter nineteen!**

19

I remember waking up several times and seeing people standing around me. But as soon as I would realize this I would fall back in to the blackness. At first I had welcomed the blackness because it meant no pain. Now it was getting annoying. But those few minutes where I was aware might just be worth the annoyance. Every time I opened my eyes I saw someone jump up and shout for the doctor. But then the pain would hit. It was gut wrenching pain that I couldn't really place.

I just knew it hurt like hell times ten.

So I fell in to the darkness to see where it would lead me. And to my great surprise I found my self in the Between.

When I left the Land of the Living I found out a few things about the Shadow World. Like the field that I always found my self in. It was really called the Field Between. Or as the spirits that roamed it simply called it the Between. The Between is there to house the spirits that haven't decided to go to the 'other side' or to go back to roam the Land of the Living. The Shadow World is just the name for the whole spirit world, the one I am allowed to travel too. The Between is just one of many safe havens for the spirits of the world. It's just the only one I've been too. I don't plan on visiting any others.

I also learned more of what being a Death Dealer means. When I was shadow kissed it locked my destiny as well. The fact is that I was supposed to die but did not. So to repay that I have to take life from those who do not deserve it. So it ties in to what I was doing anyways. I kill Strigoi because they are not supposed to be. They stole their life by killing those who feed them. It's a bigger job then I thought it would be.

I even learned about Anna. She chose the same path that I did. But her demons caught up to her. I can't let that happen. Because then I wouldn't be keeping my promise. I have to protect Lissa, because I'm not sure we're through everything this world has in store for us.

I don't know how I know this but I do.

I also know the promise mark of the Dragomir crest is still imprinted on my hand and wrist. The Runes that decorated my skin have faded because I no longer need that protection.

"Hey what are you doing here?" a voice asked from behind me.

I turned to see Mason, paler than usual, leaning against a tree.

I walked over to him, "I can't wake up."

"So you came here?" he asked shaking his head.

"No, I just ended up here."

"You need to go back," he scolded.

I put my hands on my hips and glared at him.

"What?" he asked as he straightened.

I continued to glare.

"Rose what the hell?" he asked taking a tentative step back.

"Why is it that every single time I see you here you always tell me to leave. Do you not want me here? Do I embarrass you in front of all your spectral friends? What is your deal?"

He looked sheepish and twisted his hands, "It's just that if you're here you aren't living."

"But I am alive."

He looked at me, "No, you're living but you aren't moving forward. When you're here in the Between you aren't living because there is no time. Time is different here, I told you that in the beginning. I don't want you to regret being here and having twenty years go by in the Land of the Living. I don't want you to waste your life by staying here with me."

I blinked. He had shocked me. His words hit me so hard that I hadn't even realized that that was what I was doing. I didn't want to let go of Mason.

"I, I mean, Mason…" I said stuttering and tripping over my words.

He held up his hand, "Its okay Rose. I know why you come here and I know that sometimes you need to come here. But you can't come here when things back there get hard. You have to live."

I couldn't look at him, I stared at the ground as he walked over to me.

He held one of his hands up, it was almost translucent in the pale sunlight of the Between.

"Go back Rose, I think you'll be surprised," he said. I raised my hand to his. I felt the familiar cold as my solid hand touched where his hand appeared to be.

That's when I slammed back in to my head, in my physical body.

I sat straight up with my eyes flashing open.

The first thing I noticed was that someone beside me jumped so bad it sent a cup they were holding flying up in the air. Ice and something that looked like iced tea showered down on me, my bed, and the floor.

I shook my head so the ice that landed in my hair flung loose. I looked at the person beside me.

"What the hell Christian?"

He blinked several times, he looked like he was trying to form words. He kept making a gulping noise that sounded like words….

"What do _you_ mean what the hell? What the hell?" he finally stuttered out.

Before I could say something else, a squeal of joy sounded from the opening door.

"Rose!" Lissa nearly screamed as she ran towards me.

She tackled me and was halfway sitting on top of me when Dr. Olendeski came in to the room with a disapproving look.

Lissa unwrapped her arms and went to sit with Christian.

"Miss Hathaway," the doctor said taking a light out of her front pocket.

"I'm fine," I said looking her straight in the eyes.

"Yes but I've heard that before. You haven't been conscious in over a week. You will not tell me you are fine until I prove it is true."

I rolled my eyes as she checked them out. She glared at me and made a _humph_ sound.

She looked at my arms and some things on my chart. Then she stuck me with a needle.

"What the hell was that for," I exclaimed.

"Blood work," she said with a smirk as she walked out the door.

I glared after her, "What crawled up her ass and died?"

Christian snorted and Lissa looked at him disapprovingly.

"You've been really scaring her. And for the record you've been scaring everyone. She couldn't figure out what was wrong with you. You started seizing and doing all sorts of stuff that," Lissa shuddered. Tears filled her eyes, "You're all right aren't you?"

I thought about that. I could feel that I was stiff, basically about everywhere. I lifted my arms and moved my legs, nothing was broken. There was no more screaming pain.

"I think so."

Then the taste in my mouth registered.

"How many times Lissa?" I asked her point blank.

Her face colored a bit and she took Christian's hand.

She didn't answer but another voice did.

"Too many times to keep track of."

I turned to see him standing in the doorway.

"Why do you always wake up when I leave your side?" he asked with a hint of a grin.

I couldn't help my lips from turning up in to a stupid grin.

He walked over and pulled a chair close to me. "Roza please, never put me through that again."

I grabbed his warm hand.

"Never."

**Aww. Sorry about the sort of repeat. I just needed to get that stuff out about the Between. Oh and then the Mason scene....**

**It gets better in the next chapter. Promise!**

**Thanks for reading, review!!!**


	21. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything from her books, just the stuff I make up.**

**Okay so I know, I haven't updated in forever...sorry....**

**But anyways here is chapter twenty which is in our favorite Russian's POV. Just like you asked ;)**

**But it's mostly a filler chapter so there isn't much...sorry!**

20

Seeing her awake and somewhat back to normal made me smile. It however, did not remove the images of her from the past week.

The first time she had awakened I had been just around the corner. When I saw her the first thing I registered was her pain. Her hands had been clinching the quilt so tightly it was in danger of ripping. But I couldn't help but rush over to her.

When everyone left us she left me.

I stayed by her side for days. Every once in awhile she awoke, just to seize in pain, and every time it would almost kill me. Dr. Olendeski would rush in and help hold Rose down so she wouldn't thrash her way to her death.

This happened so much that Dr. Olendeski didn't think she would be able to survive. She had Rose connected to so many things I was beginning to feel doubt edge around my mind.

After three days Lissa snuck her way in.

"Dimitri?" she asked squinting in the darkness.

"Princess," I said greeting her without moving.

She sat down opposite me. She placed her hand on Rose's head. I saw her close her eyes in concentration.

Nothing happened.

She opened her eyes and tears spilled through them, "I'm sorry Dimitri."

I smiled weakly at her, "Give Rose time, she will return."

I prayed I was correct.

Lissa was persistent. She came back every chance she got to help Rose. I watched every time as Lissa would try with little success. But I couldn't say that Lissa wasn't succeeding a little. After the first day I could see more color filling Rose's hollow cheeks.

Alberta came in some time that Saturday.

"Belikov I need your assistance."

"Can it wait?" I asked.

"No."

I looked up to see her measured gaze glaring at me.

"I know you are grieving but you still have to fulfill the duties assigned to you."

I sighed and stood up, "What is it?" I asked flatly.

She looked me straight in the eyes.

"We have a problem that needs fixing," she said looking at me with earnest.

I narrowed my eyes, "Is it the same as before?"

She nodded.

That's when the door to the ward opened.

Lissa and Christian froze in the doorway holding what looked like lunch.

"Oh sorry," Lissa muttered.

"That's okay, we were just leaving," Alberta said suddenly grabbing my arm and steering me out of the room.

"Happy now? Someone to watch Rose while you are away," she muttered under her breath.

I glared ahead of me as I shook my arm out of her grasp. I followed her down the hall to another ward.

A very disgruntled woman was sitting up in bed. When she saw me she started shouting.

"I am sick in tired of people trying to coddle me! Just tell me what the hell is going on."

I ran a hand through my hair.

"Belikov," the fiery woman growled.

"What? I know you think you aren't informed but you are. There hasn't been any change."

"But how would I know that when I get refused when I asked to be moved?"

"Because no one wants you to see what is happening. We want you to recover, not be tormented."

She crossed her arms, "I think I should be the judge of what would torment me."

I walked over to the foot of the bed.

"Janine leave it be. Just trust me when I say you're better off in this room than the one down the hall."

I turned on my heel and walked out. I didn't go back to Rose's room I went outside. It was noon now and the sun felt good.

I collapsed under a tree, my head in my hands.

Janine had been putting up a fight for awhile now. She wanted to see her daughter, and I had to refuse her. Dr. Olendeski didn't think it would help Janine to see Rose in her state. Janine had suffered a lot of injuries. A broken leg, broken ribs, broken arm, and a broken collarbone and one massive head injury. She didn't even really know why she was mad. On good days we were happy she remembered she had a daughter.

I don't know how long I stayed there, but the stiffness in my back told me it was awhile.

I walked, solemnly, back to Rose's room.

Her door was cracked.

People were talking.

One voice brought a smile to my face.

"How many times Lissa?" that voice asked.

Lissa didn't answer, I did.

"Too many times to keep track of," I said pushing the door open.

Her eyes flashed to me. "Why do you always wake up when I leave your side?" I asked her.

A huge smile graced her face. She looked so much better I couldn't help myself but I tried.

I walked over and grabbed my chair and pulled it close to her.

"Roza please, never put me through that again."

She grabbed my hand, "Never," she said in a whisper.

I pulled her hand to my lips and kissed every one of her fingers. Then I bent down and kissed her head, her cheeks, her lips.

I didn't care that there were others in the room. I had my beautiful rose back with me again.

I caressed her cheek, "I missed you."

She looked up at me with her strange new eyes. Violet shards that you can barely discern from her normal eye color litter around the pupil.

"I missed you too," she whispers.

"If it matters to anyone," a snarky voice from behind us said, "I don't think I missed not having to see this. Discreet Dimitri, discreet."

I couldn't help but laugh a little as I turned around. "Do you even know the meaning of that word?" I asked Christian. Lissa was sitting on his lap, her arms around his neck.

He smiled, "Touché," he said hugging Lissa.

I never thought that I would consider Christian a good friend, but after all the things we've gone through, I couldn't not think of him that way.

**Hmmm interesting...don't you think? Just wait....**

**Thanks for reading, review!!!**


	22. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything from her books, just the stuff I make up.**

**Well well well, looks like I'm feeling guilty about not updating....**

21

Even though I knew I was fine I still was forced to stay in that accursed clinic bed.

But at least I was leaning up against a pile of soft pillows eating junk food with Lissa, Christian, Adrian and Dimitri.

We had been talking about random things until Christian stopped mid-sentence and looked at me.

"Wait a minute, you never told us what you were thanking Adrian for."

I stopped, a chip halfway to my mouth. "I don't know what you're talking about," I said staring him straight in the eye.

It didn't fool him.

"Seriously what the hell was it about?" he persisted.

I glanced at Adrian who seemed to be amused.

"Might as well," he said leaning back in his chair.

I looked to my right at Dimitri. I could tell he wanted to know as well.

I rolled my eyes and looked back to Christian.

"Tweet tweet," I said in a mocking sing song voice.

His eyes widened, "A little bird," he stuttered, "you and Adrian planned all this out?" he asked completely shocked.

I smiled.

"Explain please," Lissa asked, confusion marring her perfect face.

"It was all quite simple really," Adrian said, taking up the story.

"I fail to see the simplicity," Dimitri asked leaning back in his chair, his muscles rippling under his t-shirt. I bit my lip and turned my gaze away from him so I wouldn't be distracted.

I began the story.

"When we went to the prison Viktor was supposed to be held in I saw something other than that note."

I waited for a minute, trying to think of how exactly to say it.

"I saw a spirit that hadn't been able to cross over to the Between yet. He told me that the reason he stayed was that he felt he had to. But when I arrived the feeling was gone. It got me thinking."

"Yeah that you need medication because you see dead people?" Christian supplied in a creepy imitation of that little boy from _The Sixth Sense_.

I glared at him. "No it got me to take the necklace that was acting as a paperweight to that little note."

"The one from Viktor?" Dimitri asked.

"Yes, I took it and went back to you," I said squeezing his hand. "That's when I made my plan."

"Or rather when you came to me," Adrian said picking up where I had paused.

"Wait, you mean when you were playing zombie in the car you were talking to him?"

I nodded sheepishly. "It took all of my concentration and it was draining."

Dimitri shook his head but didn't speak.

"So the little dhampir pulled me from my peaceful slumber and dumped me into dream world where she handed me her version of a 'plan'."

I glared at him and he smiled.

"I being older and wiser fixed her so called plan."

"Adrian," I warned.

"Fine," he said with a frown. "Rose told me that she knew something was going to happen to her. So we devised a plan that would hopefully save her. The necklace she took she had with her in the dream world. We didn't know if it would work but we tried. I put Spirit into the necklace with the intent that she would not be able to kill those she knew and cared about. It helped that the little lust spell still lingered," he said waggling his eyebrows.

"I think that little detail," I said glaring at Adrian, "made your charm work better for Dimitri."

"It looked like you were trying really hard to kill him though," Christian added.

I turned my glare to him, "The _chotki_ was also charmed, by Viktor. It made me obedient, the necklace barely cancelled it out when it came to people I recognized."

"So that's why it was so important to get that," Lissa said, clearly immersed in the conversation.

"Yes, and I think I paid a fair price for it," Adrian said sitting up straighter.

I grimaced, "Sorry about that Adrian."

He smiled his wicked smile, "Don't worry love, now I always have your mark on me."

I closed my eyes and shook my head.

"So let me get this straight," Dimitri asked, paying no attention to Adrian's comment. "You and Adrian designed this plan. That you would have some sort of buffer when it came to killing people when you were ordered to."

I nodded.

"So that's why you kept killing the Strigoi when they interrupted your fighting."

"One of the reasons," I said with a frown. "The other was that even when I was under control I still did not appreciate them breathing my air. Viktor was constantly telling me not to move because every time one would come close to me I would kill them."

"What about Zacharie?" Christian asked.

I shuddered and Dimitri squeezed my hand in comfort.

"He had more control of me than Viktor. Viktor called me from the Between but Zacharie was the one in real control. I don't want to talk about this part," I said looking away from my friends faces.

I could tell that through the bond Lissa was worried about what exactly happened. I could tell by Dimitri stiffening that he was thinking of dark things.

"Cat," Dimitri said suddenly.

Every set of eyes were on him, including mine, with a questioning gaze.

Dimitri stared at me before he spoke. "There was a cat at the house at Spokane, it led me to the tunnel."

I smiled, "That was an unexpected bit of help."

He shook his head and tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear.

"I think they've left us," someone muttered. I ignored them.

"I'm so sorry I put you through all of that," I said to him. "It was the only way. I had to trick Viktor into thinking he had won. But I had to make sure I wouldn't do something I would regret. I knew Adrian could help me so I used him and look what happened to him," I said struggling to say all I wanted to say before he would interrupt me.

"I knew what I was doing. I just didn't expect to be controlled like that. It was terrible and I think it was my punishment for what I did to you."

"Roza," he began but I silenced him by putting my hand over his mouth.

"I was stuck in my head, I couldn't help anything I was doing. It was like I was watching TV. I saw and knew what was happening but I couldn't stop anything. When I saw you I fought as hard as I possibly could to gain control. Seeing you I was able to break through the barrier holding me back. I had a little control, that's when I realized just how much I love you."

I finished my little speech by removing my hand and kissing him.

**Hehehehe I like this chapter hehehehehe...sorry. Anyways what did you think about that?**

**Thanks for reading, review!!!**


	23. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

**So I felt _extremely_ guilty...**

22

I was released the next day with a clean bill of health. Or what could come close to a clean bill of health for me. Dr. Olendeski only had one thing to say to me.

"See you next week," she said with a grin.

Dimitri put an arm around my shoulders, "Hopefully not."

I smiled up at him, "But knowing my luck."

He squeezed my shoulders and kissed my cheek.

It was something I had been wishing for a very long time.

And something that disappeared as soon as I closed my eyes to sleep.

"_She is remarkable," the Strigoi commented._

_Viktor nodded as he circled around me. I was frozen in place. I glanced down to see what he had slipped on my wrist just moments ago. It was Lissa's chotki. The one I thought I had lost in the woods outside the school._

"_Control over her will be even more powerful Zacharie, if you…"Viktor trailed off._

_Zacharie smiled, "She does smell divine, must be her unique blood."_

_I stepped back, causing pain to shoot through me._

_Viktor smiled, "Rose disobedience is only rewarded in pain."_

_I glared at him, my nostrils flaring._

"_She will need to be fully controlled my lord, she is very strong willed."_

"_Yes," Zacharie says walking closer. "She will need to be broken."_

_Before I could even think of running he was holding me in a vice grip against his chest. He ran his cold hand down the side of my face. I could feel his breath on my neck. I tried to break free but I couldn't move._

_That's when I felt it._

_His teeth sink in to my neck._

_That's when I lost myself._

* * *

I woke up to her screaming. She had been asleep before I had gotten in so I had settled down beside her. Now she was thrashing and her arms swung towards my head. I ducked down and grabbed her.

"Roza, its okay it's just me, you're safe."

Her eyes opened as she took in my face. Then she burst in to tears.

I sat up and pulled her to me.

"Roza it was just a dream," I said trying to soothe her.

"Dimitri," she choked.

"I'm here," I said kissing the top of her head.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed.

"There's nothing for you to be sorry for," I said turning her so I could look at her.

She raised a hand to my face. I felt her warm fingers trace a line down the side.

"What was the dream," I asked softly.

She froze, the color drained right out of her face.

"Roza," I said before she retreated back to wherever it was when she was silent.

She shook her head, "I can't Dimitri, I can't."

"What did he do?" I suddenly found my self asking.

She stopped shaking her head and looked at me.

That's when I knew.

"He bit you."

She buried her head in my chest and nodded.

"You survived Rose, a lot of people haven't survived something like that. Please just let this go, it's eating you up."

She turned back to me and something settled behind her eyes.

She sat up and kissed me.

I kissed back.

* * *

I lay back in to the bed and pulled him close. He pulled my shirt over my head then leaned back to do the same with his. He kissed me again, harder, and deeper.

His hand slid down my thigh and pulled it up so it was wrapped around him.

"I love you," I whispered.

Then the rest of our clothes were thrown away.

* * *

When I woke up later my head was resting on his chest. His breathing was soothing to hear, just as much as his steady heartbeat. I breathed in his scent and sighed.

I couldn't believe how much of an idiot I had been.

I actually couldn't believe I was the same person. I don't know how the notion of Dimitri not wanting me because of what happened even entered my brain. But underneath it all I was grateful. Life without Dimitri for me would be life without the sun. He was the only thing really holding me here now.

Hearing those words in my head made me shiver. It made me feel like I was betraying Lissa.

I shook my head, I knew I wasn't betraying her. Because these last few weeks was a real eye opener for me.

My friend Lissa lives in a dream world. Where no bad thing could ever go wrong. She was naïve in the worst way.

Would she still be my friend when I brought her world crashing down around her?

"Roza?" Dimitri said huskily.

I turned to stare at him. His warm brown eyes were filled with love. I was ecstatic to know that it was for me.

"Yes Dimitri," I replied.

"I love you," he said brushing my hair out of my face.

"I love you too," I said kissing his chest.

A knock on the door brought us out of our bliss.

I hastily got up and fell on the floor.

He leaned over the bed, "You okay?"

I shushed him, "I'm not supposed to be here," I whispered.

He rolled his eyes and pulled on his pajama bottoms. He kicked some clothes to the side and went to the door.

I peeked under the bed ruffle to see a pair of shoes that could only belong to Adrian.

"Where's Rose?" he asked stiffly.

"I don't know, why?" Dimitri said flatly.

I could tell by the silence that they were having a stare off.

"Rose go see your mother," Adrian said loudly. I watched his feet turn and walk away.

**Uh yikes to the begining part and a _awkward_ to the last...oh and a FINALLY to the Lissa part. That's going to be an interesting chapter...**

**Thanks for reading, review!**


	24. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything from her books, just the stuff I make up.**

**Hehehehehehehehehehehe I like this chapter...I think it's going to make a lot of you people yell at me to update...**

23

I sat up and leaned against the bed. Dimitri closed the door and came over to me.

"Rose?" he said sliding down beside me.

"I think he hates me," I said examining my fingernails.

Dimitri wrapped his arm around my shoulders, "I don't think so."

I looked at him and examined his face. "Well I have no clue as to what I'm going to do about him at the moment. But as of right now I guess I'm going to see my mother."

Dimitri grimaced then got to his feet. He offered his hand to me and I took it. I then began searching for my clothes.

After I finally righted myself a bit I snuck out of Dimitri's room and went back to the clinic. I didn't see anyone as I walked down the hall. Dimitri had told me where to go before he had left for his turn at patrolling the grounds.

It was weird being back at the Academy.

I pushed the door open to find my mother sitting up in her bed, a cast on her leg and arm, glaring at the wall. Dr. Olendeski was there along with Alberta.

I nodded at Alberta and went to stand by the side of the bed.

"About time you decided to come see me," Janine mumbled.

I exchanged a sideways glance with Dr. Olendeski. "So what's wrong with her?" I asked.

Janine's eyes flared as she turned her glare to me, "There is nothing wrong with me."

I rolled my eyes and turned to Olendeski. My mother was beginning to act like me.

Weird.

"She has a severe concussion that has left her memory a bit off. But she has recovered remarkably in the last few days. She hasn't had any relapses in memory for the past two days, we're hoping it holds."

I grimaced and looked back at Janine.

"So you got hit in the head?"

Janine's eyes narrowed to slits, "Why did you tell Ivashkov the whole story and not me. I would have been better, we could have kept the whole thing under control."

Alberta perked up at this point, "What is she talking about Rose?"

I kept my focus on Janine, "It's what I had to do."

"You went in to a gunfight with a knife, you acted foolishly and looked what happened."

"I cannot believe this," I said closing my eyes. "Even when you're off your rocker you act like I'm a worthless piece of shit."

She sniffed.

I opened my eyes to see her once more before I left.

"I did it to protect you all. I knew I was the only one that could do it, so I acted on what I knew and we succeeded pretty damn well. So get off your doped up high horse and see me for what I've accomplished. Everyone makes mistakes Janine, if we didn't we wouldn't be able to learn."

I turned on my heel and went to hunt down someone else.

Adrian.

* * *

I was lying on my couch, minding my own business. Enjoying the silence of no interruption, no noise.

That's about the time my door was slammed open.

I fell of the couch and banged my elbow on the coffee table.

"God damn it what the hell?" I muttered as I tried to untangle my self from the blanket that was trying to strangle me.

"Get up," a cold voice asked. I heard the door slam close.

I managed to then I looked at the intruder.

I cursed again and sank back down on the couch. "Oh goodey to what do I owe the pleasure?" I asked.

Rose moved from the door to stand in front of me.

"What is your problem?"

I looked at her innocently, "I thought I already gave you that answer?"

"Cut the crap Adrian. Why are you doing this to me?" she asked in a softer voice.

I glanced up at her. She had sunk down on to the coffee table. She was so close, and excuse the cliché, but so far away.

I sighed and looked at the door she had come through. "I have no idea Rose, I'm just a screwed up twit."

She snorted, "There's a bit more to it than that."

"What," I asked looking back at her. "Does asshole, bastard, no good Spirit using dumbass work better for you?"

She put her head in her hands, "No Adrian, that's not what I meant."

"Then tell me what you meant Rose?" I asked tensely.

She looked up at me, her face was set in unrecognizable expression.

"I love him Adrian, I'm sorry but I do. That won't change."

"You came to me though," I countered, "when you needed help you came to me. That has to count towards something."

She sighed, she looked exhausted. "Adrian I came to you because I knew I could count on you to understand."

I stood up, "So you knew you could count on me because I had to live everyday without the one I loved, we could relate."

She stood up to stand in front of me, "No," she said, her voice rising.

"Then why," I yelled.

"Because I trust you!" she shouted back.

That's when I grabbed her and kissed her. I pushed her back against the wall and kissed her like I had wanted to do for so long. I ran my hand through her hair and caressed her face.

Then I turned away and walked out.

* * *

Shit.

**Hehehehehehehehehehehehehe told ya...**

**Thanks for reading, review!**

**:D Oh and I have a story up on fictionpress called _I Cirlce You_ that I think a lot of you might like...or at least I hope. So check it out if you can, my names the same.**


	25. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

**Okay so here is the next chapter. Enjoy.**

24

I sank against the wall. I was completely stunned. I had no idea what the hell was going on.

The only coherent thing going through my mind was: _Adrian_.

That's when I got a nudge from the bond. Lissa was trying to find me.

My eyes tore across the room for any incriminating evidence. I struggled to my feet and then ran from Adrian's place.

I found Lissa in the cafeteria.

"About time Rose," she chastised.

I sank down, "Why does everyone keep saying that to me," I grumbled.

Lissa's brow furrowed, "What's up with you?"

"She's probably pissed we're back here," Christian said as he plopped down beside Lissa. His face was colored and flushed, he had just fed.

I shivered, "Yeah," I agreed.

They both stared at me now.

"What?" I asked straightening up.

"Did you, were you, you agreed with Christian?" Lissa stuttered.

I rolled my eyes, "Sometimes he makes a good point Lissa. And right now I would seriously like to get out of this hellhole, I'm sick of people gawking."

Lissa glanced around, "Just ignore them then."

"Hard to when they actually come up to you," I said snagging a piece of toast from her plate.

"Just use your mad skills on them," Christian said, "And when I say mad skills I really mean your psychotic—" he stopped when Lissa elbowed him in the gut.

"So did you go see your mom today?" Lissa asked with a grin.

"Yes," I replied flatly.

Her smile faded, "What's wrong? Did something happen to her?"

I shook my head, "No she's just acting like she normally does."

The bond flared and it caused me to really look at Lissa. She was fidgeting.

"You healed her didn't you?" I asked, or more of demanded.

She shook her head no, "It was Adrian, his first really big injury. He was amazing."

I'm pretty sure all color drained from my face just then.

"I have to go," I said suddenly, whipping out of my seat. I didn't wait to hear Lissa's complaint.

* * *

"What do you mean he's gone?" I nearly yelled.

"He left about twenty minutes ago," the Moroi informed me.

"Twenty minutes ago, where the hell did he go?" I demanded.

The Moroi shrugged, "He went back to his school."

I turned on my heel and ran my hands through my hair. He was gone, and back to his school for god sake.

I closed my eyes as tears threatened to spill over.

"Rose?" a voice called from behind me.

I quickly wiped away any evidence of tears and turned towards Dimitri.

"What's wrong?" he asked as soon as he was a foot away.

Damn him for knowing me so well.

"Adrian went and flew the coop. I needed to talk to him."

Dimitri looked back towards the Moroi sitting at the desk.

"Don't bother he isn't helpful," I said walking towards the exit. He took up pace right beside me.

"How did you find me anyways?" I asked when we walked in to the dark grounds.

"Your voice travels," he says smoothly.

I flush and hide it with a swish of my hair.

"Well he pissed me off," I said nonchalantly.

"I understand," he said softly.

I looked determinately at the ground. "He healed my mom, I wanted to thank him."

Dimitri grabbed my arm and pulled me under a tree.

"How did that go?" he asked.

I glared at the leaves above me. "As well as it could have gone, she still thinks I'm worthless."

"I'm sure that's not…" he began before I cut him off.

"Oh yes it is. In her mind I'm always going to be the kid who took off and abandoned school for a hunch. She's never going to admit that I was right."

"Just give her time, she'll come around."

I shook my head, "I don't think so, she's stubborn."

He made a peculiar noise.

"What?" I asked looking at him.

"I know someone a bit like that."

I glared at him, "Do. Not. Say. I'm. Just. Like. Her."

"Wouldn't have dreamed of it," he said with a smile.

"That's just like saying it!" I said exasperated. I started to walk away but he grabbed my arm and pulled me to him.

"I'm sorry Roza, I couldn't help it. You do show some similar tendencies, she is your mother after all."

"Hmph."

He kissed my forehead, "Come on Roza let's go. We're leaving soon."

He took my hand and led me towards the parking lot.

"I'm glad we're leaving," I said suddenly.

"Me too," he said squeezing my hand.

That's when the guilt hit me.

It felt like a bomb exploded in my gut.

Dimitri stopped, "You okay?"

Instead of saying, "No I'm not. The reason I'm pissed is that I saw Adrian before he left. He kissed me and it felt absolutely incredible. It warmed me from my head to my toes. I think he might have compulsed me a bit to so I didn't immediately give him my knee jerk reaction of kicking him where it hurts. But the worst thing about this whole thing is that it felt good, but I knew it was wrong. Because I truly am absolutely in love with you, I know in my heart that I'm supposed to be with you. So why do I feel something for Adrian as well?"

I said, "I just remembered that I was going to have a talk with Lissa."

He raised an eyebrow, "May I ask what about?"

"About how stupid she acts."

"Okay," he said a little uncertainly.

I sighed, "About how she can't be naïve forever. That she needs to grow up and see the world for what it is. That her life isn't just filled with parties and the Court. That there are things going on that are not sugar coated and that she needs to learn it pretty fast."

He didn't say anything. That's when I felt the bond. And that's when I cursed (in my head) every swear word I've ever heard.

"So when exactly were we going to have this little conversation?" Lissa asked from behind me.

I whipped around to face her.

"Hopefully when we were back at Court," I said softly.

Lissa looked pissed so that made me pissed.

"But it's true Lissa. We both need to be careful now."

She rolled her eyes, "I like how you said _we_ to my face."

I huffed, "I said we because it applies to both of us. I'm not going to go through any of that again so _we_ are going to be careful for now on. Life is filled with people trying to kill us apparently and I'm going to attempt to prevent that."

"So me being naïve means what to that plan?" she asked coldly.

"It means that you don't think. That you don't consider the consequences of your actions, you're careless."

I bit my lip as soon as I said that. I felt the rage in the bond and flinched back a little.

"Careless," Lissa repeated. She glared at me then tossed her hair, she walked over to the limo that was waiting for us and got in.

Christian who had witnessed the whole fight looked from the limo to me, "Thanks for pissing her off."

"Anytime," I replied as he wrenched open the door and climbed in.

I looked back at Dimitri.

"That is exactly what I'm talking about. She's acting like a little kid throwing a tantrum."

He didn't say anything. He just opened the door to the limo and I climbed in. Lissa and Christian were sitting together. Lissa was whispering furiously to him but stopped when I got in.

I looked out the window and practiced being invisible.

Dimitri was sitting up front. I caught his eye from the window that separated the front from the back. He apologized without saying anything.

I wished I could do the same.

**I hoped you enjoyed this wonderful bit of Lissatude. Just wait...there's more.**

**Oh and just to let you guys know...reviews are not illegal. I actually look forward to reviews, love each and every one of them. (Hint cough hint)**

**Thanks for reading, review!**


	26. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters that don't say "See previous chapters".**

**Okay here is chapter twenty-five. Sorry meant to have this out a loooong time ago...got distracted. :D**

25

The whole car ride was me sitting by myself, silently.

It damn near killed me.

But I was not going to crack here in the car. No, I would wait to crack in the privacy of the place we would be staying at near the campus to whatever that college was called Lissa was going to.

Lehigh or some thing or other….

But what was really screwing me up inside was not the whole Lissa thing. It was Dimitri. Well actually it was Adrian.

God dam every cell in that bastard's body. Why the hell did he do this to me? Why? Wait. I can answer that. He did this to me so he can screw with me. He wants me to lose my mind. Yep.

Damn him.

Damn me.

* * *

My head nodded towards my chest. I flashed awake, nope not going to being doing this.

I stretched in my seat. I would not dream, because I had a funny feeling that Rose would enter my dreams.

God I'm an idiot. Why the hell did I do that?

I mean I'm bright, or at least I would like to think so. I know Rose is in love with that cradle robber. It just irks me that I lost her. I could have had her.

She kissed back.

* * *

"What do you think?" I whispered to Christian. My eyes flickered to where Rose was dozing, her head falling on to the side of the limo.

"I think I don't want to be in the middle of a cat fight."

I glared at him.

"Fine," he said with a scowl. "I think Rose had a point, but was pissed and didn't say it correctly."

I froze and gaped at him.

"Are you serious Lissa? What the hell did we just go through a few weeks ago? Bad things do happen, you can't ignore that. And I'm with her about the parties, the fewer those the better."

I rolled my eyes, of course.

I looked back at Rose. Her face was screwed up like she was having a bad dream.

That instantly made me feel bad, I ran a hand through my hair and glanced away.

"I guess I do act that way," I whispered more to me than to Christian.

Christian sniffed.

"What?"

"You guess? What were the first words out of your mouth to me when we left Rose that first time?"

I blushed.

"Say it," he said tickling my neck.

"Fine, I said we should have a party. Sue me."

"I'd rather not," he said as he planted a kiss by the edge of my ear.

I smiled and turned towards him and snuggled closer to him. He wrapped his arms tighter around me. It was a long drive, and I needed some sleep.

* * *

I had tried not to fall asleep. I had tried to refuse my drooping eyelids.

I failed.

Miserably.

"What the hell?" I asked.

"What the hell?" she asked.

"Get out of my dream!" we shouted at each other.

I stood across a picnic table, a picnic table of all things, from her.

Rose stood like a conquering goddess. Her hair fanned out behind her and she was wearing a long black shift. That's when I knew I was controlling the dream, my subconscious did not listen when I said no.

"You ran away," she accused.

"No, actually, I didn't. I was due back at school," I countered.

"When the hell have you ever cared about school?" she said crossing her arms.

"You met me on break, I'm actually quite studious."

"So you can get good grades when you're trashed?" she asked quizzically.

My jaw clenched, "Go away Rose."

"You're in my dream," she reminded me.

I rolled my eyes and turned my back on her.

"Why did you do that to me Adrian?"

I froze, one foot in front of me.

"Are you going to answer?"

I whipped around, "I wanted to say goodbye creatively."

"Adrian," she said in a voice that was clearly filled with doubt.

I pushed a hand through my hair, "Rose, I'm completely messed up."

I sank down on to the picnic table, "I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I just wanted to kiss you before I really lost you."

She sat down on the opposite side. "Adrian you know that I care for you."

"But you love the Russian."

"Yes, I love Dimitri. Adrian I love him, it's not just a crush, I can't live without him."

I looked away from her, "You kissed back you know. That's got to count for something little dhampir."

"Ugh Adrian I just told you that I cared about you, what more do you want!" she said getting to her feet. Her cheeks were red with anger.

"You, that's what I want. But I know I can't have you so I left. I went back to my life before you. What more do you want?"

She sank back down and put her head in her hands.

"I don't know Adrian, I'm messed up too."

I stood there and stared at her then I walked around the picnic table and sat down beside her. I put an arm around her, "I'm sorry for that, I just wanted, I don't know what I wanted."

She turned to look at me, then she kissed me lightly.

"Goodbye Adrian."

Then she faded away.

**I think that was an okay goodbye, now lets take bets on whether Rose tells Dimitri about what happened...**

**Thanks for reading, review! (Seriously I appreciate them! (Don't make me beg!))**


	27. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

**Can I just say how sorry I am? I'm so sorry for not updating! I'm sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry! I really have no good excuse this time other than I'm a senior in high school and am going through all that college crap and I wish applying for scholarships and all the other stuff was simpler! A full scholarship would be nice but is extremely difficult. Curse the ACT for not giving the 33 in the reading I got for my overall score! Ugh well enough about my money woes and more to the Dimitri and Rose woes...**

26

"Dimitri," I began but paused.

"Rose," he said turning to me. We were in a hotel room. I was leaning against the headboard and Dimitri was sitting in one of those provided ugly upholstered chairs by the air conditioning unit. Lissa and Christian were asleep in the next bed.

I took a deep breath and picked at my nails. I just couldn't figure out what to say. I mean I knew what I needed to say but it just wouldn't form in my mouth. It was completely formed in my brain but as it got to my mouth it dissolved like cotton candy.

"Cotton candy sounds good," I blurted.

As soon as I said it I blinked several times in disbelief. Had I really just said that out loud?

"Cotton candy?" Dimitri asked raising one eyebrow. He so made me jealous when he did that.

"I have no earthly clue as to why I said that," I admitted, my cheeks heating.

Dimitri chuckled, "I've never had it what is it?"

I stared at him appalled.

"What?" he asked putting both feet on the ground.

"Have you been deprived? What is wrong with you?"

"I don't know what is it?"

"It's a timeless classic tradition at all major fairs."

He continued to look at me puzzled.

"Its teeth rot on a stick? Comes in all sorts of colors, it's fluffy and it melts on your tongue?"

"Oh I know what you're talking about, I know it by another name, and teeth rot on a stick is closer than cotton candy. Why is it called that? It makes no sense?"

"Why is Dimka the nickname for Dimitri? Now that makes no sense."

He shook his head, "What were you going to tell me before this cotton candy conversation began?"

A lump formed in my throat.

"Oh yeah that," I said picking at my nails again.

"What's wrong?" he asked leaning forwards. Our knees were almost touching now.

I wanted to tell him everything but I couldn't. It would tear our already fragile relationship up. Our relationship was always rocky and now that is fully fledged in the open and there's no more sneaking around I just didn't see what he saw in me. I was young and stupid, barely lived through the past year. He is older, smarter, more experienced.

"Why are you with me?" I found myself blurting out.

He looked taken aback. "Why are you asking?" he said almost inaudibly.

I looked away from his dark eyes, "Because I need to know," I choked out.

I didn't see him move but suddenly he was right beside me, his arm going around my shoulder as he hugged me to him.

"I am 'with you' as you so quaintly put it because I love you. Roza the first day I saw you, the day we found you and Lissa. When I cornered you and saw your decision to fight in your eyes something sparked. Then I started training you and saw that under your rebellious exterior that the real you is just—can't even be put in to words. I knew that I loved you. I know that I love you."

He said all of this in whispers. He kissed me gently then turned my head towards him.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, our foreheads resting against each other.

"I'm crying because I'm trying to tell you something and you are making it so hard that I just want to bury it six feet under and forget about it."

"You can tell me anything Roza," he whispered into my hair.

"You might change your mind though," I muttered as I buried my head into his shoulder.

"Never," he said putting his arms around me.

"I'm holding you to your word," I said staring over his shoulder at the peeling wallpaper.

"Just tell me," he said.

"Adrian kissed me," I mumbled.

He froze.

"What?" he asked flatly.

"Adrian kissed me before he left."

He pulled away and studied my face. "That's why you were upset."

I cringed away. He stood up and walked to the window. "That's why you asked."

"Dimitri," I started.

"No Rose, you wanted to study my feelings for you by playing with them."

This conversation was completely going in the wrong direction.

"Dimitri that's not it at all," I pleaded.

"Then what is it Rose? Tell me why Adrian knows everything before I do. Tell me why you chose to trust Adrian over me. Tell me why Adrian always comes first?" he said in furious whispers.

I stood up and glared up at him, my anger starting to boil as well.

"Dimitri that has nothing to do with any of this," I stated as calmly as possible.

"Yes it does, how does it not?"

"I trusted Adrian."

"And you don't trust me?" he growled.

"I do trust you, I love you, and I told him because that's what I had to do."

"And what about me you didn't trust me enough to tell me your plans? When you disappeared I wanted to follow you and leave too. I could barely stand to do anything. Now you betray me by kissing Adrian?"

Tears really did start to fall, "Dimitri please."

"No Rose, I'm done with this," he said walking to the door. He slammed it on his way out and I slid to the floor.

This couldn't be happening. I hit the end of the bed with my balled up fists.

"This is not happening. This is not happening," I repeated over and over.

* * *

"Cotton candy!" I screamed as I sat up so fast I got tangled in the blankets and fell to the floor. Whacking my head and my knee somehow on the bolted in nightstand on my way down.

I untangled myself and tried to catch my breath. My t-shirt was sticking to me and I was being laughed at by a blurry figure across the room.

"I got to admit, you're pretty hilarious in your sleep," Christian managed to say between his laughter. He acted out my little falling scene, shouting cotton candy on his way down.

I started to get up but found the sheet snaked around me feet. I sat heavily down on the bed. A warm arm went around my waist and pulled me to the middle of the bed. "Are you okay Roza?" Dimitri asked.

I looked at him and nodded.

"I'm fine for the most part," I said. _It was just a dream_, I thought.

**Hehehehe I know, I'm evil. But you can't seriously think that I would do that? I mean I can't even see Dimitri acting like that after his confession of love. So hehehe to the fact you still don't know how Dimitri is going to act or if Rose is going to tell. Hehehehehe.**

**I expect reviews (please) because it has been so long and the tortured souls that have been stalking me ;) can finally be put at peace knowing that I've updated and can review and tell me about this chapter (please)!**

**Thank you all for being patient and I really appreciate all of your support!**

**Love Kaiai**


	28. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

**Okay so I suffered from a bit of writers block and the fact I get a new Trig teacher starting monday because my teacher has to go teach algebra because that teacher quit. Mostly writers block, I had way to many ways this chapter could go and finally decided on this one. So hopefully you'll enjoy it. Sorry for the delay! Enjoy!**

27

Yes, no. Yes, no. Maybe?

Tell, don't tell, tell, don't tell. Don't? Do?

Run away, stay. Run away, stay? Leave?

Thoughts fly through my head at warp speed. Do I admit my guilt or let it fester till it rushes out?

While insanity burrows itself a hole in my head to stay in Lissa and Christian are planning something in the backseat. I ignore them and continue to twist my entwined fingers in what could be called nervousness. I stare at the blank fields flying past the window.

I know Dimitri keeps giving me sideways glances but I'm doing my best to ignore them. After that dream I don't know what to do. If I tell him he could leave or be understanding. If I don't tell him the guilt will eat at me for all of eternity.

What the hell is wrong with me?

* * *

Something is wrong with her. I can see it and feel it. I glance at her every few minutes to make sure she doesn't disappear. She keeps twisting her hands together and staring out the window.

A blue sign ahead says there's a gas station three miles away. I check the gauge. We have half a tank, better safe than sorry though.

I take the right as it comes up and Rose looks up at me.

"Where are we going?" she asks.

"Gas, I don't know when we'll get another chance, might as well fill up now."

She doesn't make eye contact, just nods and settles back in her seat. Christian and Lissa don't even notice.

The gas station is just a run of the mill station. I drive to a pump at the front and Rose immediately gets out and heads in. I watch her scan the aisles and then go towards what I expect to be the bathrooms.

I bite my lip in hesitation then turn to start the gas. I open the back door. "Christian watch the gas for me."

I don't wait for his reply. I head in and go towards the back of the store.

The women's door is shut and locked. I wait, knowing that something is wrong and I need to know what it is.

* * *

I brace myself against the sink. My reflection shows a girl that I don't recognize. This stranger is looking at me with violet rimmed eyes, crazy flyaway violent tinged black hair and pale skin. My usual tan has been bleached out by my current condition. The Promise Mark stands out so vibrantly I pull my jacket sleeve over it. I slide down against the grimy wall while tears threaten to over run me.

I don't know what to do. I don't want to do anything.

Why do I screw up everything?

* * *

"Why do I screw up everything?" I ask myself.

Being back in my apartment at school is just insultingly haunting. It reminds me of everything I've done and everything I wish I had.

Being back here makes me regret what I did, and wish for a restart. I never should have kissed her. I know just by looking at her that she's in love with _him_. No matter how much I wanted to change that. She's in love with Belikov, not me.

It's high time I admitted that.

But now I've probably screwed up more lives than mine is worth.

* * *

I knock on the door. She's been in there for awhile now.

"Just a minute," she says. The water faucet turns on, the stream uninterrupted by hands.

I knock again, insistently.

I hear the lock, "What don't you get about just a minute!" she says angrily.

I push her back and close and lock the door behind us.

Her back is against the wall and my hands are braced on either side of her head.

"Roza," I say staring into her strange eyes.

She's breathing deeply, like I caught her doing something she wasn't supposed to be doing.

"Dimitri," she says struggling for breath.

"What's wrong," I ask pushing off the wall and turning my back to her.

She doesn't answer; her breathing quiets.

I wait then turn around to see her slump to the floor. I kneel down in front of her and take her chin so she looks up at me.

"Roza whatever it is you can tell me."

She shakes her head no.

I kiss her forehead and she pushes me away.

"Stop being so goddamned nice to me. I don't deserve it, especially not from you."

Confusion eats at me, "Roza please, I don't understand."

She looks at me and I see resolve in her eyes.

"Adrian kissed me."

I hear her words, I understand her words. But I still find myself saying, "What?"

"Adrian kissed me before he left, and I…" she dissolved.

I put my arms around her, "It's okay Roza, is this what has you so upset?" I ask, my feelings churning on the inside.

She nods, "I love you Dimitri, I didn't want you to leave me."

I sigh, "You think that after everything that has happened that I would leave you because of a kiss?"

Anger started bubbling up under my skin. I wanted to strangle Ivashkov, I wanted to…forget what she said.

"Yes, I betrayed you so yes I thought you would leave."

I kissed the top of her head and tried to put my red tinged thoughts away.

I turned her face towards me, "I love you Roza, do you love me?"

I knew her answer before she spoke, "Yes, I love you Dimitri."

"Then we'll leave it at that and forget everything else."

Our lips touched and it was passion filled as usual but with a tinge of hope.

Hope for what I don't know. But I do know one thing. Next time I see Ivashkov, better for me worse for him.

Where did that come from?

**Well hmm, that's a bit interesting...don't you think? Review and tell me what y'all think!**

**Thanks for reading! Review!**


	29. Chapter 28

Hey this is Kaiai...I guess you can tell since this is my story...nevermind my brainless antics I just want to inform y'all of something that really makes me mad.

I got a review telling me that my abrupt changes in point of view are confusing so I went back was just glancing over Life and Death, guess what? All of the dashes I use to break up the different views are gone. GONE, as in no longer there. And I'm talking about the chapters from the very begining. I have no idea what happened to those considering I haven't even been able to log on to this site for what seems like forever. So I'm just warning you that it appears all of my dashes are gone and there are over twenty chapters in this and I can't even imagine going back to fix it, oh and it doesn't even matter, I tried to add the dashes back on one chapter, saved it. NOPE didn't work, they didn't save. So if anyone knows how to fix this little (extremely annoying) problem I would be glad to hear from you, I already sent a message to fanfic. So thanks in advanced. Oh and I guess you can read the story now!

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters because I'm to pissed to write one of these right now.**

**Okay yeah I know I've been a ghost, but I'm here now so enjoy!**

28

A long sigh sounded from the bed behind me, I glanced over my shoulder to see Roza flipping over to her side, her dark hair shadowing her face.

I turned my attention back to the window. The sun was rising slowly and the barest hint of light was streaming through the thin curtain.

It had been a week since the gas station. I tried my hardest to drive her words out of my mind but I found I couldn't.

I moved away from the window and slipped out the bedroom door. The apartment was small, one bedroom, one bathroom and a kitchen/living/dining room. Apparently, even though the Queen was now under investigation and under house arrest, we still couldn't catch a break. Lissa had a little townhouse a few blocks from her college. Roza was refusing to stay with her while Christian, however, was absolutely fine with "living in sin".

I sank down on the couch and held my head in my hands.

* * *

I couldn't help the sigh; it's as if all my feelings wanted to just leak out. My heart hurt my head hurt, everything just seemed to hurt. But of course I wasn't going to let him see that. No, I refused to even hint at the fact that I know what I told him is eating at him just as it eats at me.

I keep my eyes closed tight as I hear him slip out. When I hear the door click I instantly sit up.

He thinks I've been asleep but sadly I've been barely able to hold up the façade. I so badly want to scream it's a wonder I haven't split down the middle. This is the point I usually reach when I skipalong to the Shadow World but knowing…seeing Mason's disappointed face keeps me from returning there.

_Damn it all to hell_, I think. "Screw this" I say throwing the blanket off of me. I walk to the door and throw it open. Dimitri sits up on the couch I barely keep in my yelp of surprise. I figured he had gone out somewhere to walk off the anger I knew was building inside him.

"What's wrong?" he immediately asked.

I glowered at him, "Wrong? Oh whatever would be…could be wrong?" I snap.

He raises an eyebrow and I find myself doing something I didn't think I would ever do.

I did the finger scold.

"Don't you raise that eyebrow at me Belikov, I don't want you to act like you're fine with this."

"What are you talking about?" he asked standing up and walking over to me.

"Adrian, I want you to yell at me. I want you to rant, scream do something. I can't stand you acting like you're okay with this I know you're not, I can tell. Hell I'm not even okay with this. Do you think I want to be in this fucking situation? No I would rather be in bed sleeping like a normal person, not worrying about every damn thing that keeps happening in this shit filled life of mine."

I finished with a huff, Dimitri just stood there staring.

I waited impatiently. I was tempted to start tapping my foot.

Luckily I didn't have to.

"You're right," he sighed.

_

* * *

_

"About what?" she asked when I didn't elaborate.

I looked straight up at her, "What you told me, it felt like you were stabbing me but seeing your grief, I knew how you felt about what happened, I could sense the confusion. I'm not mad at you, I'm not mad at Adrian, I'm mad at myself. I…I messed things up for you. If I had never leaded you wrong maybe you would have had a chance at a normal life," I didn't get a chance to finish.

She slammed a fist towards my head but I moved so her fist hit my chest instead. I reached for her wrist but she moved away from my grasp.

"Roza," I muttered moving away from her.

"I am going to kill you," she snarled.

She came at me swinging.

I blocked a kick by jumping over the couch. She leapt over with the grace of a panther and hit me square in the chest. I used her momentum to trip her and to spin her off her feet. She latched on to my arms and slithered like a snake with me and ended up behind me.

"I cannot believe you," she said wrapping a slender arm around my neck. I grabbed a hold of it and, against my better judgment, swung her over my shoulders and slammed her to the floor. I saw the breath whoosh out of her mouth and chose that time to pin her down.

She growled at me, "Why do you keep saying you're wrong for me?" she said in a less feral voice than I thought she could muster.

"Roza," I sighed.

Bad choice.

She used that against me and flipped me off of her, she was pinning me down before I could take a breath. _She's gotten better_ I thought.

"I am so sick and tired of you saying that we shouldn't be together, I don't care that you haven't said it in awhile but it hurts. I makes me feel as if you really don't even care about me. I know I screwed up and I admitted it but you just tell me you love me but its wrong. Make up your damned min…."

Kissing her now was just, bliss. I hadn't planned on it, I was planning on throwing her over my head but it just happened.

She stopped talking and I felt some of my anger ebb away. She loosened her grip on my arms and I sat up. She wrapped her legs around my waist as I wound one of my hands through her hair and held her closer with the other.

I stood up with her still wrapped around me. I carried her to the bedroom and we fell together to the bed.

I trailed a kiss from her forehead down to her neck. Her hands tore at my shirt and I helped her, our clothes ended up in a pile somewhere on the floor.

* * *

He stopped, we were so close that it felt like electricity was crackling between us.

"I am sorry my love," he said. His lips pressed into mine and the night continued on a high I never expected.

**So yeah, I know I've been gone a long time but I hope this makes it up to y'all. So review and tell me what y'all think.**

**Oh and I just want to thank all of y'all for reviewing while I was gone! Thanks again!**


	30. Chapter 29

**Yeah yeah I know. You all hate me because I haven't updated blah blah blah...hehehe...well I've updated now and I just want you all to know that I love you all for reading and putting up with my lack of updates. I'm sorry for taking so long! But it's here now so hopefully you won't hate me as much. This chapter isn't as 'intense' as the last one but it kind of hints at some things that are going to happen.**

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything from her books, just the stuff I make up.**

29

Not hearing from Rose is usually a bad thing. When I decided to call her I learned that no, it was not a bad thing.

"So is Rose alive?" Christian asks from the couch.

_Our couch_, I think gleefully.

"From what I managed to understand I think she's quite alive," I say sinking down next to him.

Christian waggles his eyebrows and I try to hold back my laugh.

"So I'm guessing you didn't tell her about the party because she was so _busy_?"

"Didn't get the chance, she'll figure it out eventually.

He throws his arm around my shoulders, "I guess it helps having the bond."

"Yeah but I wish it went both ways."

"Are you sure about that? I mean think about it, knowing Rose's every thought and emotion. That's got to be tough especially when you fight with each other because I know how vicious you can get. Would you want to listen to all the hateful thoughts going through her mind?"

I hadn't thought of it that way, "I guess not but still, it would help."

"It would help you keep tabs on her you mean," he points out.

"That's not what I mean at all," I say leaning away from him.

"Okay then my mistake," he says with a cocky smile.

Just then the doorbell rings and Guardian Carson, my other Guardian, answers.

The planners that are helping me are standing on the stoop.

"Well I can see you'll want some privacy with your planning so I'll just get out of your way," Christian says sneaking away.

I smile at him, "Don't even think about it."

* * *

I keep my eyes closed as I take a deep breath. He smells like leather and soap as usual. My head is resting just under his chin while his arm is around me.

He traces his fingers up and down my arm giving me goose bumps.

"Are you awake?" he asks.

"No are you?" I ask sleepily.

"I haven't decided yet," he says pulling me closer.

I know he still wants to talk but he just keeps silent and I love him for it. It's good to just let things go for once.

The guilt that was eating away at me for days was finally dissipating. I knew that it would never truly go away but knowing that Dimitri trusts me helps me.

When Lissa called I seriously wanted to pummel her but seeing as she wasn't in grabbing distance I just told her I was busy.

Our 'jobs' as Lissa's Guardians would be starting soon and I just wasn't looking forward to it as I had originally.

I mean I'm basically selling her my life, even if she is my best friend.

That's not an easy decision.

And as of now all I really want to do is stay wrapped up in Dimitri's arms.

He seems just as content with that idea as I am.

* * *

I knew as soon as I made my decision my life would be in danger. So when I knocked on the door I braced myself for whatever would be thrown at me.

It took awhile before the door opened but when it did she just stood there and stared at me.

"Are you going to invite me in?"

"What are you doing here?" she asks.

"I've decided that I need to be closer to Court since all of this drama is going on and so I transferred."

"Transferred?" she asked leaning on the door.

"Yes it means I now go to school here as well. Now, may I please come in?"

Lissa nodded as she opened the door wider.

She had a nice little setup, much better than what I had had back at my old school.

"So dear cousin what is up with you? Have you gotten your classes all set up and in order?"

She went through a doorway to my right and I followed. Christian was lounging lazily on the couch and simply nodded as if my appearance was ordinary.

"Yes I have everything finished and am just waiting for the term to start next week."

"Well how about you Christian?"

"Same here not that I'm happy about it," he muttered.

Lissa gave a disproving look, "You need to go to college Christian."

"Why? So I can flush out my pedigree?"

Lissa clenched her teeth, "If you want to put it that way. I figured you wanted to go to school so you could find something interesting to do with your life."

"You know perfectly well what I want to do with my life."

I watched them like a tennis match.

"Uh huh."

"You do don't pretend like you don't remember."

"Something about living here with me and that's about it."

He sat up, "How about learning to fight and teaching other Moroi as well? Do you remember that part?"

Lissa gave him a stern look, "Fine let's not get into this while Adrian is here."

Christian looked like he wanted to say something but thought better of it and muttered something about going to the kitchen.

"Why are you here again?" she asked clearly frazzled.

"Because my dear Aunt Tatiana is on trial and I'm needed to be close by."

"Right, does Rose know?"

"Ah and that would be my dilemma, no she does not."

* * *

"What?" I asked.

I was at Lissa and Christian's and Christian being the asshole he is gave me some pretty disturbing news.

"Yeah he's got the place right down the road," he said with a smile. "He'll probably be over here all the time considering Lissa still wants to learn dream walking."

I was extremely tempted to smack him but decided that being a Guardian hurting your charge isn't exactly smiled upon.

I took a deep breath and went to the kitchen where Lissa had escaped too after Christian mentioned Adrian's name.

"So how has your week been?" she asked before I could say anything.

"Oh it's been swell," I say mockingly. "How's yours been?"

Lissa turned, her thoughts were moving so fast I could barely snag any coherent words.

"Well we're having a party Saturday and you're coming because Dimitri already said he would make you. It's the last day you have of summer vacation and of not being my Guardian on duty at all times. So, I don't want to hear any complaining from you. Wear a dress, look nice, and be happy," she said jumping onto the counter to sit.

I glared at her but didn't fight her because I already knew she had been planning a party since before we got here.

Adrian complicated things though. I hadn't planned on him being here at all, and now he is.

"Well since you have the rest of my life planned out for me I'm going to go home and enjoy the sanity I have left."

"Rose you don't have to go," she said moving from her perch on the counter.

"I know but I need to talk to Dimitri. He should be back by now."

She doesn't let me leave without a hug. Her thoughts are filled with concern for me and excitement for her new life.

She's not even thinking about the trial and what that might mean for us all.

**Oh and by the way I am still fed up with the people of fanfic. The reason all my dashes between POVs are gone is because they updated and they told me it was my fault for not using their line that they _provide._ Well excuse me for writing the dashes into my story on Microsoft Word and then uploading them on here. When I posted them orignally were the dashes there, yes. They've always worked before and I think whatever update they did wasn't fair because it took out every dash in every story that used them. So now all of my stories that switch POVs are confusing because the update messed everything up. A little warning next time would be nice.**

**Okay enough of my rant. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, the next one will either be up tomorrow or the next day. Thanks again for reading, review!**


	31. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: So yeah I'm not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything from her books, just the stuff I make up.**

**So see I told the truth. I promised another chapter and here it is. I think this one is going to surprise a few of you and I get to use one of my favorite saying..."And the plot thickens!"**

30

I didn't go home. I left the kitchen after glancing at the piece of paper tacked to the bulliten board by the door. It had Adrians house phone and his address tacked on it.

I committed it to memory and then went out through the back door.

When everything had settled down Lissa and I had had a chat. She agreed with me that she was a bit careless. She vowed that she would be extremely careful from now on and this would be the last 'extravagant' party she would throw. After this she would be strictly a good girl again even though she was living with Christian.

There were quite a few people not happy about that but I knew something they didn't, something even Lissa didn't know.

Daylight was only an hour away and it felt weird to be walking down the sidewalk. I'm sure if any of the humans looked out their windows they would think I was some raving lunatic.

The neighborhood was extremely small, it was brand new and not a lot of humans lived here. When Lissa had made the deal to go to school at Lehigh while going to Court too it had started something. The Moroi were now looking to reach out to Lehigh as a potential school for their children. The last I heard the Court had purchased most of the land and houses already built to start a Moroi neighborhood. The humans here would either get used to their neighbors or move away.

I guess that's how Adrian got a place here.

I was in front of his house now. No lights were on but I wasn't really expecting there to be. He was probably already in bed.

I sat down on the steps in front of his house. I didn't know if I was going to go in or not.

Something else made up my mind.

I heard someone kick in the backdoor.

I didn't think I just reacted. I flew to my feet and grabbed the door knob it was locked so I did the same as the intruder and kicked the door in.

I surprised who ever was breaking in because I saw them stop.

They didn't falter long because they were charging at me before I could examine the entire room. I lunged right to get away from the attack and watched as the person slammed into a table.

The attacker was on his feet a second later and we were fighting.

It was Ambrose.

His eyes were insane as he tried to strangle me. He had tackled me to the ground and was straddling me.

I thrust my knee in his gut and flipped him over my head. He slammed on his back with a whoosh of air going out of his lungs.

I scrambled to my feet and took the stake I always carried with me from its hiding place strapped to my ankle.

I was planning on pinning him but didn't get the chance. He took something from his pocket and blew it in my face.

I fell to the ground losing all control I felt myself slip away just as I heard a crack like thunder.

* * *

My eyes were open and I was staring at a face I hadn't seen in awhile.

He shook his head at me. I could barely see him now, he was just an outline.

"How did I get here?" I ask.

"I really don't know but you need to go back," Mason says offering me his hand to help me up.

I give him a sideways glance, "You know we've already had this argument," I point out.

"I know but I'm not going to be here much longer and I would prefer you not to be here when I'm not."

I scrunch my eyebrows, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I think you know," he says as I go back.

* * *

I sit up coughing and my eyes watering.

"Thank God you're back I didn't know what he did to you," Adrian says from in front of me.

It takes me a minute to regain my focus and when I do I realize Adrian is not wearing a shirt, the only stitch of clothing adorning his body are blue silk boxers. He's also holding a gun.

I have to blink several times, "Adrian rule number one about handling guns, only aim at things you attend to kill," I say pushing the muzzle away from me.

"Oh sorry," he says putting it down.

I look for Ambrose and find him against the opposite wall. He's completely knocked out and his hands are tied behind his back with what looks like the tie from a bathrobe. That's when I see the blood slowly leaking from his leg.

"You shot him?" I ask looking from Ambrose to Adrian.

He shrugged, "He was about to kill you," he said touching my neck with his fingers. They were extremely cold and I shuddered.

He pulled his hand away to show the stain of scarlet.

I put my own hand to my throat to find a shallow cut not even an inch long. Ambrose had been trying to slit my throat.

When I looked back at Adrian all I could see were his fangs. It was like a trance because that's all I could see.

The memory of the last time had my heart picking up speed.

"Rose?" Adrian asked with concern.

I backed away from him as fast as I could till my back hit the wall.

"Rose?" he asked starting to move towards me.

"No stay there," I meant to shout but it just came out as hoarse whipser.

He stopped and I saw pain cross his face.

"Rose," he said softly like he was talking to a wild animal, "It's okay."

I tried to even my breathing so I closed my eyes and concentrated.

When I opened them again Adrian was sitting cross legged four feet in front of me.

"What did he do to you?" he asked looking at me with a tormented expression.

"I don't know, he blew something in my face. It sent me to the In Between."

"That's not what I meant," he said shaking his head.

I looked at him with a quizzical look, "I don't know what you mean though."

"That Strigoi, he…he messed with you didn't he."

I looked into his eyes, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Damn it Rose," he said getting to his feet. "I know you're lying there's no other explanation for your freak out. He bit you I know he did," he said walking over to me.

I stood up too, "It doesn't matter anymore it's over he's dead."

He rushed over and looked like he wanted to strangle me but he ended up doing a weird little fidget with his arms and ended up throwing them up.

"Rose I don't understand you. You have all of these people who care about you but you still keep everything to yourself. You're going to kill yourself with all of this," he said turning his back to me.

His skin was extremely pale and perfect.

Except for a pearly diagnal red line that started at his right shoulder and ended at his leftside hip.

My breath hitched as I found myself stumbling forward. I reach a hesitant hand and trace the line. He shivers as I draw my hand down remembering not being able to stop my blade as I struck him.

"I wish things were different. I wish I hadn't ever fallen for their trap. I wish I had fought back harder against them," I say with my hand on his shoulder now. "I wish I hadn't lost myself."

I felt him tense, "You couldn't help it."

"Yes I could if I hadn't left in the first place. If I hadn't run away when things got hard I could have."

He turned around, "It doesn't matter now," he says using my line from before.

His eyes search mine.

"I'm sorry for hurting you, for hurting everyone."

He caresses my cheek and I look away from him.

That's when Ambrose stirs and starts to try and free himself.

**Hmm I guess you'll just have to wait till the next chapter to see what happens. So I have a feeling a lot of you are going to have questions, rants, etc so just review!**

**Thanks for reading, review!**

**~Kaiai**


	32. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

**Okay so this chapter isn't really bulky its mainly to just get to the next chapter with a few little drama tidbits that are going to drive a few of you crazy. :D Enjoy!**

31

I rush over to him, "Whoa I don't think so," I say pushing him over on his stomach. I pin him down and turn to look at Adrian, "I need a phone."

He disappears and returns with his cell phone.

I punch in the familiar numbers and wait.

"Who is this," he says in a way of greeting.

"It's me Dimitri and I have a problem."

"What's wrong?" he asks setting something down. I can hear something in the background but I can't figure out what it is.

"Um well as usual someone tried to kill me."

"Rose?" he asks like he thinks I'm not being serious.

"Luckily it happens to be the person who tried to kill me once already. Also he's the one who kidnapped Lissa and I think he'll be of good use during the trial," I say putting my stake to the center of Ambrose's back because he started to move.

"Where are you," he says after a door slam.

I give him the address rather than saying Adrian's place because I know if I did it would sound utterly terrible.

"I'll send someone right now," he says softly.

"Aren't you going to come?" I ask confused.

"This is something for the Court Guardians to handle and I'm doing something that I can't get out of."

Something he, Dimitri, couldn't get out of?

"I just told you someone tried to kill me and you can't get out of something?"

"I'm so sorry Rose but I can't come. I want to come, you have no idea, but I can't."

"Okay then," I say dejected.

I hang up before he can say anything else.

Adrian reappears from somewhere, I hadn't even noticed he was gone. He's thrown on a pair of pajama pants along with a t-shirt.

"So I guess the Russian is coming to swoop in and fix everything?" Adrian mutters as he goes to plop down on a chair.

I glare at him, "Guardians are coming now," I say pushing Ambrose back down, "Oh and by the way I'm perfectly fine. I hope you are too considering I saved your ass."

He sat up, "You saved me? If I may remind you I'm the one who shot him as you were lying lifeless about to get your throat slit."

I glared at him, "If I hadn't heard him breaking in you would probably be string cheese by now," I counter.

He opens his mouth to say something but we hear cars slamming to a stop in front of the house.

"You just stay there little dhampir and I'll get the door," he stops and examines the splinters of wood littering his floor, "or what's left of it."

A few seconds later several Guardians in the usual attire were here and carting Ambrose away. I leaned against the wall and watched everything happen.

I was questioned of course so I told them what happened.

"I was walking back from Lissa's she lives about three houses down and I was going to stop in and say hi to Adrian. I just found out he moved and I haven't seen him and since I start being an official Guardian on Monday I decided this might be the last time I have a chance to talk to him. As I was going up the steps I heard someone kick down the back door so I instantly did the same. I found the intruder and we fought and he got the better of me by throwing dirt from that plant," I said nodding towards a potted plant, "in my eyes. That's when Adrian came out with his gun and shot him in the leg."

The Guardians knew who I was and I didn't know if they believed me or not but that's as much as I was going to tell them. They wouldn't understand the whole Shadow World thing so I left it out.

They left saying they would be sending someone out to replace the doors. I got stuck with staying because apparently Adrian didn't have a Guardian to watch him.

I was working on being a responsible no throwing fits Rose so I just nodded and went to sit on the couch.

Adrian watched everything with a slightly amused approach.

"Well I guess we're alone now," he said watching the last SUV drive away.

"Why don't we go to Lissa's. She has doors and a better security system," I say cutting him off.

"I don't want to go to Lissa's I want to be alone."

I narrow my eyes and he ignores me and goes to the kitchen. Since I can't see into the kitchen I follow him.

He's drinking something out of a glass.

"Don't you think it's a little early to start drinking?" I ask sitting down on a barstool.

He slams the glass down splashing its contents on the counter.

"It's fucking water Rose, I quit drinking weeks ago."

This surprised me, "Sorry I didn't know."

"There's a lot you don't know," he mutters turning his back to me.

"Well enlighten me then," I say sarcastically.

He turns around, "No I don't think I will. You can find out for yourself," he says walking out of the kitchen. I follow him out to the living room where he's lying across the entire couch with his back to me.

I sit in one of the chairs and we don't talk.

I watch the curtains ripple back and forth from the breeze through the shattered door.

**Hmm interesting, something is definately going on. I wonder what Dimitri is up to? Hmm well I guess you'll just have to wait...**

**Thanks for reading, review!**


	33. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything from her books, just the stuff I make up.**

**Okay so I absolutely love this chapter, it took me three hours to write it. I hope you enjoy!**

32

I stared up at the ceiling of my tiny apartment bedroom. Technically it's Dimitri's apartment but I've been living here so I consider it mine as well.

And apparently it was more mine than his considering he wasn't there, or any of his stuff.

I waited because a note told me to. If he hadn't said he was going to explain I might have torn after him as soon as I noticed his collection of Western novels was missing from their shelf in the living room.

I tapped my fingers on the bedspread as I waited impatiently. When I first got here I paced around the entire house furiously but as the hours went by I ended up taking a shower and changing into a pair of pajamas, shorts and a tank top.

I refused to fall asleep until he got there.

I failed.

I woke up with a start, my hair sticking to the side of my face. My dreams were terrifying.

I was being tossed back and forth between the Shadow World and the Living World. Watching as my friends lived their lives when as soon as I got comfortable with mine I got thrown into the shadows. I watched everyone live while I died.

I looked around the room, Dimitri's duster was thrown over the end of the bed.

He was home.

I slid off the bed and went to the door. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

He was sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. I stood there halfway out of the bedroom staring.

I tiptoed to him and sat on the coffee table in front of him. I slid my hands over his and ran my fingers through his hair. I slid the rubber band holding his hair back on to my wrist and brushed my hands through his long hair.

He didn't move but his breathing quickened.

I smoothed his hair back and traced down his face. I stopped under his chin and lifted his face up to meet mine. I pressed my lips to his and for a second he was just there. Then I felt his hand twist in my hair while the other snaked its way around my waist.

I was on his lap and we weren't kissing, he was just holding me. My chin rested on his shoulder and my arms were around his neck.

"Something happened?" I whisper.

I felt him nod.

"I've been to see every person I possibly can about it but no one can change anything until this trial and the new royal steps up and takes full control. So for now we're stuck."

"Wait, _we_?"

He pulled me back and we sat facing each other on the couch.

"We both got reassigned. The Queen had changed it weeks ago and had the letters held so they wouldn't be here till tonight."

Tonight being Friday.

"Where did we get reassigned to?" I ask staring at him.

"We didn't get reassigned to the same place Roza," he said rubbing his thumb in circles over my palm.

I knew he was going to say that, it was just like the Queen.

He doesn't answer he kisses my forehead, "I'm so sorry Roza."

I look away from him, "Just tell me Dimitri."

"I've been assigned to Nathan Ivashkov."

That sparked something, "That's Adrian's dad," I say looking back at him. He nodded.

"Where've I been assigned Dimitri?" I ask when he doesn't say anything.

He pushes a strand of my hair behind my ear. He hands me a letter from his back pocket.

_Rosemarie Hathaway,_

_We are informing you of a change in your assignment. You are due to arrive in Dublin, Ireland. Enclosed are tickets for your flight, pack only essentials. You will meet your new charge at the airport where you will be greeted by him and his other Guardians._

I reread, and reread, and reread the letter.

"Dublin?" I asked outraged.

"Yes."

I looked at the tickets and felt my jaw drop.

"These are for Sunday at four a.m.!" I say looking at the times printed.

"I've tried everything but there's to much going on."

"But what about Lissa? I can't leave her, I can't!" I say getting up and walking to the window.

"I'm sorry Roza."

* * *

"What?" she screams into the phone so loud I fall off the bed.

"Lissa what the hell?" I say peeking over the mattress.

She's sitting up against the headboard, her hair tangled over her shoulder her phone clutched to her ear.

"Rose slow down."

I can hear the rambling from where I'm sitting.

"Come over right now," Lissa said getting off the bed. She cliked off her phone and slipped on her bathrobe.

"Lissa what happened now? Did Rose almost die again?"

She turned on her heel, "That and something else."

"Wait what?" I ask getting up and tossing the blankets back up on the bed.

She waved her hand and trotted to the living room, "Someone broke into Adrian's and she stopped them but that's not important."

"Um okay," I say following her.

She goes right pass the living room and straight to the kitchen. She goes to the pantry and takes out a box.

"Are you making brownies?" I ask sitting down on one of the barstools.

"Yes," she said tossing the powder contents into a bowl.

I watched her as she literally beat the ingredients together. She greased a pan and dumped the mix into it. She shook the pan to even it out and then put them in the oven I hadn't even realized was on.

"Okay then so I guess Rose is coming over."

"Yes and I think Dimitri is coming too."

That's when the front door jiggled with a key and Rose burst in followed by Dimitri.

Carson who I hadn't even seen lurking in a corner raced back.

"If you don't want to be thrown on your ass out a two story window you better back the fuck off," Rose sounded from the hall.

Lissa rushed out to the hall.

I stayed in the kitchen and waited.

They all filed in and Rose sat down beside me while Dimitri stood next to her.

Rose grabbed the brownie mix bowl from the counter. She ran a finger around the rim, "So I officially hate the Queen and hope she rots in whatever jail cell they give her."

"Rose! You can't talk like that," Lissa chided.

I roll my eyes, "So does someone want to explain to me what the drama's about?"

"We've been reassigned," Dimitri says pulling the brownie bowl away from Rose.

She glares at him and with their weird silent conversation thing he pushes it back.

"Reassigned what does that mean?"

"It means that I shall not be guarding Lissa nor will Rose," Dimitri says twisting Rose's hair between his fingers.

"How did that happen?"

"Queen," Rose grumbled under her breath pushing the almost clean bowl away.

"Well can you do anything about it?" I ask.

All three of them shook their heads. Dimitri spoke, "I've already tried but we can't get anything changed until the new Royals fully take over."

"So where are you going?" I ask looking at the two of them.

Dimitri sighs, "I'm assigned to Nathan Ivaskov."

"Wait you're just assigned to him? Where are you going?" I ask Rose.

"Dublin," she groans.

"Never heard of him," I say playing with a candle.

"Christian," she says like she's about to strangle me.

"Dublin, Ireland," Dimitri points out putting a hand on Rose's shoulder.

"Shit," I mutter.

* * *

After going and complaining some more on my part I still have to go. You would think that after all of this Lissa would cancel the party.

No.

She did however leave Christian in charge to help me pack.

"I can't believe this is happening," she said folding a pair of jeans.

"Tell me about it," I say throwing some pajamas on the bed. Dimitri was moving back into Court to be near to his new charge.

After I got as much as I wanted clothes wise I sat down on the bed.

I was only taking four pairs of jeans and a mess of t-shirts along with my pajamas and underwear. I threw in a pair of sneakers and flip flops along with my boots.

"Rose, I'm going to miss you so much," Lissa said with tears falling.

She was completely devastated and lost.

"Lissa it's going to be perfectly fine," I say trying to be strong. She completely bought it and it made me feel horrible.

So for the rest of the hour I let her make me over for the party that I would have to leave early from if I was going to be able to get to my flight on time.

Our old life was coming to a close.

We thought it was just finishing high school and Lissa starting college while I became a full fledged Guardian. It was supposed to be the best time of our life because we were finally responsible for ourselves. We were out on our own. I was with Dimitri and Lissa was with Christian.

Now everything has been turned completely around. Lissa and Christian were the only ones getting their happy ending. Dimitri and I would be on two different continents with the hopes of getting to see each other on holidays.

Life sucks.

**Hehehe so...what do you think of this little twist? Hehehe just wait till you find out who I have in mind for Rose...**

**Thanks for reading, review!**


	34. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer: Okay it's chapter thirty three I'm done, see previous chapters.**

**Okay so I think this chapter is extremely long and gives us insight on what might happen in the next few chapters...did I mention there's not many chapters left?**

33

"Mother why exactly have you called me here?" I ask walking into the dining room of my parent's house.

"Adrian don't sound as if we put you completely out by asking you to visit," she says without looking up from a packet of papers.

"Oh then I must apologize I didn't know this was a visit I thought it was an order for me to…what were the words you used? 'Get my ass over here?' I think that was what you said am I wrong?" I ask looking as innocent as possible.

She looked up, "Adrian we don't have time for your childish manners. Our family is going through a terrible time and needs all of its members to cooperate."

"If you are talking about saving my dear old Auntie from a prison sentence then count me out. When it comes to me and you try to kill my friends then I'm pretty much against you."

"Adrian," she said flustered. "We are trying to save our family's reputation and I don't appreciate your attitude."

"Mother you and I both know that reputation is definitely high on my list of goals. I just can't help you with her trial other than being a witness to how horrid she is. I don't know what happened to her but she is not the same person she was. She kidnapped my friend and tried to have my other killed."

"Adrian that is not why I called you here," she says interrupting me.

"Then by all means dear mother why am I here?"

"We've been assigned new Guardians for the duration of the trial."

"They haven't even set the trial up, they're still collecting evidence. The trial will probably be a year from now and their already stepping up security?"

"Yes and the trial won't be in a year, a few months at most. This is a very serious matter, your father is having a horrible time trying to keep everything together. You know he's helping more at the Court so of course we will have more security. This is just the perfect timing for a Strigoi attack if there ever was one."

I knocked on the door frame, "Jinx us why don't you," I mutter.

She rolls her eyes, "I was just telling you that if you come by there will be other Guardians here rather than our normal ones. You will also be getting a Guardian assigned to you full time."

"I am not a child I don't need someone to walk me to and from my classes."

She caught my gaze in her steely no more questions gaze.

"Fine I don't care what's his or her name."

"His name is Edward or something or other I don't know. I just know he's young enough so it won't be strange for him to be around you at all times at school. He'll be arriving at your _new house_," she said with masked disgust, "when you get there probably."

"Well thanks for the heads up," I say turning to walk out. Being the notorious asshole I am I turn back to my mother.

"By the way mother there's this thing called a phone. I know it's such a new thing that its blasphemy to use but regardless. Pick one up and you could have told me this all over the phone rather than me come all the way up here."

She was back to reading the papers, "Goodbye Adrian."

"Goodbye mother," I say finally leaving.

I was actually surprised when I got home at the Guardian waiting for me. The way my mother described him briefly I figured I was getting a baby faced dhampir with a stick up his ass.

Nope I got Eddie Castille instead.

He was waiting on the porch and when I got there he walked out to me.

"I was not expecting you at all," I said shaking his hand.

"I wasn't expecting you either, I'm actually relieved," Eddie said checking over my shoulder.

"Well come on in," I say going to my new front door. I open it and he follows with a duffel bag over his shoulder.

"Well I guess you can tell I wasn't really expecting a roommate," I say gesturing to the sparsely furnished rooms. I lead him to the spare bedroom, "Well there you go Guardian Castille home sweet home," I say throwing the door open.

He goes in and throws his duffel on the bare bed. "Thanks," he says turning to me eyeing me curiously. "Are you going to Lissa's party?"

"When have you ever known me to miss a party?" I ask.

He doesn't answer just shrugs, "Well I'm on duty so I'll be going as your shadow."

"We'll see about that," I say slipping into my room to change. The party was in half an hour and I needed to wash the stench of controlling mother off my skin.

After I was sure my hair was a disaster of perfection and my clothes were my usual casual formal I walked out of my room to see Eddie leaning against his door looking at me disproving.

He was wearing black.

"There's really no hope for you at all is there?" I ask.

He shakes his head.

"Very well then let's go," I say.

I could tell he would be a hard one to sneak away from.

"I find it odd to have you as my Guardian," I say while we walk to Lissa's.

"Why?" he asks.

"Well for starters you're younger than me."

"A lot of Guardian's are younger than their charges."

"You were just released from school," I add.

"So would you be complaining if Rose was your Guardian instead of me?" he asks.

"Well having Rose might be fun but I see her being a bit of a hardass."

Eddie laughed a bit, "Yeah I can see that."

"Well I guess Lissa is lucky then to have her," I mutter.

Eddie stops, "You haven't heard?" he asks.

"Heard what?"

He shakes his head, "No I'm sure she'll tell you."

"Eddie tell me what?" I ask stopping him.

"You aren't going to hear it from me I refuse to even start this," he says grabbing my arm and nudging me forward, "Walk."

I roll my eyes and we continue our walk, my step a little more determined.

When I knock the door flies open.

"Oh thank god someone normal," Christian says closing the door behind us.

"Glad to see you too Christian," I say scanning the faces.

"You have no idea what I've been through," he says eyeing everyone suspiciously.

"Well I'm sorry for that but I'm looking for Lissa and Rose."

"I have no idea where they are but Dimitri is in the kitchen and Rose is usually somewhere near him."

I bite my lip and look around, "Well I'll be in the living room, Eddie stay here and play," I say taking off through the crowd.

I know that I'll always be in Eddie's sight but I don't care for him to be at my shoulder at every turn. He's smart enough to get it and I see him every once in awhile.

I scan the crowd while countless girls try and _woe_ me with what the clearly think as fascinating stories. Finally I see blond hair slinking off towards the living room and I take after it.

I grab Lissa's wrist and she turns a frown quickly turning into a smile. "Adrian I thought I heard you were here."

"Yes dear cousin I am and I am confused by something my new Guardian has told me."

"New Guardian?" she asks glancing around.

"Your friend Eddie was assigned to me," I say looking over my shoulder where Eddie is talking to a girl I vaguely recognize.

"Oh that's great," she says through clenched teeth.

"So I hear that there's something you need to tell me?" I ask nonchalantly.

"Me?" she asks choking on her glass of wine.

"Yeah I think it has something to do with Rose but I'm not sure."

Her face pales and her aura shifts uncomfortably. I study her and she shifts away from me.

"Its not something I should tell you, go ask Rose," she says trying to get away.

"I would," I say grabbing her arm, "if I knew where she was."

She looks through the doorway to the kitchen. I follow her gaze to see Dimitri sitting at the table with Christian. She looks back at me, "She's upstairs," she says going towards them leaving me with her wineglass.

I set it down on the table and turn to find the stairs.

I go to the bedroom at the far end of the hall first but find only Lissa and Christian's room. I turn and go to what I assume is the guest room. The door is shut so I knock lightly.

"I'll be out in a minute," a voice says from behind the door. I can tell it's her.

I try the door and it's unlocked.

The door slams into me trapping me against the doorjamb, the doorknob digging uncomfortably into my thigh.

"What don't you get about what I said?" she asks.

"I need to talk to you," I say straining at the door.

She glares at me then lets the door go and I fall into the bathroom, not the guest room, shutting the door with a snap behind me.

"What happened?" I ask sitting on the side of the tub.

She sits on the counter between his and her sinks.

She blows a lock of her hair out her face and that's when I notice what she's wearing.

Her hair is half up with curled ends hanging loose around her face. Her dress is short and black; it's more of a shift than a dress.

"Happened? I don't know what you're talking about," she says demurely which she clearly isn't.

"Rose just tell me," I say tired of playing games with everyone.

She looks at me now, "Dimitri and I have been reassigned thanks to your aunt."

"Reassigned? To who?" I ask ignoring her reference to my aunt.

"Well let's just say you'll be seeing Dimitri more than I will," she says kicking her feet up on the counter as well. She leans against the wall and looks at her nails.

"Rose?" I ask wishing she would look at me.

"He's been assigned to your dad while I've been assigned to some unknown person."

"My dad?" I ask appalled.

"Yep," she says smoothing her dress down her perfect legs. Her skin was tan and beautiful once again and I really have to stop thinking about that.

"But what about you?" I ask.

"I don't know other than I leave at four in the morning tomorrow."

"Leave, where did you get reassigned to?" I ask leaning forward.

She glances at me, "Ireland."

It takes a minute for that to sink in.

"Ireland," I say trying it out. "What in the hell is in Ireland besides pubs?"

"I don't know. I don't even know who my _charge_ is going to be. I'm meeting him and his Guardians at the airport."

"Did you try and get out of it?" I ask thinking of something to say.

"Yeah, I went down and yelled my head off but they wouldn't budge. Even Lissa with her _charm_ couldn't get them to change their minds. Dimitri even argued for me but it was all a no go. I've decided that nothing is getting it changed and that I really can't just quit. If I quit then what will I do? I'm not going to be a blood whore or a become a blundering mother or get a job at Wal-Mart. I mean god could you imagine me being a check-out person? I'd probably kill someone. If I go to Ireland I'll get experience that will help me for when I eventually get to guard Lissa. I mean as soon as this whole Queen thing is done and over with I'll get reassigned to her and everything will be good again."

We sit there in silence until I get up and walk over to her. I look into her strange eyes, the violet flecks glinting at me like they're taunting me. Her aura is flat black, no emotion at all. Just blank.

"Rose," I say stepping closer to the sinks and to her.

She looks up with blank eyes as well, "Adrian don't. How many times do I have to tell you that I love him?"

"How many times do I have to tell you I don't care?" I say pressing my lips to hers lightly. "I understand. You're leaving you won't see me ever again I won't ever see you again. I'm done with you you're done with me blah, blah, blah."

"Adrian I'm serious," she says pushing me back. "I _love_ him. I'm sorry but it's true."

I push the loose strands of her hair behind her ear, "I know love but I can't help myself. You might love him but I know there's something in you that cares about me as well. I'll hold on to that for as long as I can," I say with a smile.

There's a spark of something in her eyes and her aura shivers but stays black.

She looks away with a roll of her eyes, "Well that's you then Adrian," she says hopping off the sink.

She smoothes her dress down and with an evil smile she slips out of the bathroom.

"You are full of shit Rosemarie," I say to the closed door.

**Interesting. I wonder...well thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this! Next chapter is going to be in our favorite Russian's POV. Review!**


	35. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

**Okay so here is chapter 34 I hope you enjoy...**

34

Sitting at the kitchen table with Christian was not as bad as I thought. Rose was upstairs and I had yet to see her. Lissa made something up about Rose not wanting to come down yet.

I believed her just to keep her happy.

I stared at the grains of the table when Christian started talking to Lissa who had suddenly appeared.

I was furious with what was happening. I had tried so hard to get it fixed but I couldn't. I knew Rose was disappointed even though she wasn't showing it. She always thought of me as someone who could do anything. I felt just like I did when I couldn't get her to the trial for Viktor.

Christian elbowed me and I looked up. Rose was walking down the stairs that I could just barely see through the doorway.

She stopped at the end of the banister and looked around.

She was miraculously beautiful. I could see her eyes darting around so I got up and went towards her.

When she spotted me her mouth quirked up in her wonderful smile. She stayed on the stairs in her short black dress that didn't even go to her knees. It reminded me of the dress she wore to that dance so long ago.

I blinked away memories that kept sneaking their way into my mind.

She held her hand out to me and I took it. I swept her off the stairs and she landed right in front of me, loose strands of her hair curling around her chin.

"Hey comrade," she said with her evil grin.

"Don't call me that Roza," I say kissing her lightly.

"Always," she says slipping her arm around my waist as we walk back to the kitchen.

"Rose it's about time," Lissa chides.

Christian, "Yeah it's considered rude to be late to your own party."

Rose bites her lip on her remark.

"Rose," someone says from behind.

She turns and Eddie walks up to us. I shake his hand and nod at him. "Good to see you Dimitri," he says uncertainly.

"Good to see you as well," I say.

"Well I have news for you Rose," he says shuffling his feet.

"What kind of news?" she asks.

"I got my assignment finally."

"That's great," she says as enthusiastically as possible. I know what she really wants so I smile to myself.

"Who'd you get?" she asks.

"Adrian," he says looking over his shoulder where the person in question is leaning against the wall talking to a group of people.

Seeing him makes me excuse myself. Rose gives me a kiss under my ear, "Don't."

I smile at her and walk away from them. I go into the living room glancing back at Rose but all I see is her back.

I catch Adrian's eye. He looks unhappy to see me but when I gesture for him to come with me he does.

I open the door and walk out into the night.

"I see I've been summoned," he says closing the door behind him. No one is on the porch so we're alone.

He picks at a thread on his shirt and doesn't meet my gaze.

I stare at him and try and see reason. Reason why I shouldn't tear him apart. A reason to stop me from what I truly want to say to him.

I look away and towards the window. Rose is staring me down. Something in me shifts and I nod to her.

Adrian isn't looking at me and I'm glad his usual chatter has finally died out.

I hold out my hand. Adrian startles and looks at me with curiosity.

We shake hands, "We'll leave it at that," I say going back towards the door.

"That's it?" he asks surprised.

I don't turn back, "For now," I say quietly. I go back in and to Rose.

She looks at me fiercely but as she studies me she looks satisfied enough.

I put my arm around her shoulders as we walk through the house she would have lived in. Dancing started in the dining room and she pulls me to it.

"One last dance?" she asks.

I look at the other people and fall into step with her, luckily it's a slow song. I take her hand and she smiles.

She rests her head against my chest, "I don't want to do this," she whispers.

"I know," I breathe into her hair.

I feel her stiffen. She pulls back and glares over her shoulder, "I swear if she starts crying one more time I'm going to strangle her," she growls under her breath.

I follow her gaze to where Lissa is watching us. She looks away when she see's us staring.

"She's upset," I say pulling her away to where she can't see Lissa.

"I understand that but she's not being uprooted from everything she knows and sent to another continent. She's not getting torn away from Christian when everything finally settled down," she says whispering furiously.

I can't help but laugh a bit, "I didn't know you felt that strongly about Christian. I'll be sure to tell him you won't be able to live without him."

She stops dancing and glares at me, "You know perfectly well what I mean," she glowers.

I pull her completely away from the dancing and out a door. We somehow end up outside with her back against the wall.

Her arm tightens around my neck her lips travel up my neck.

She stops and pulls back, "What time is it?"

I look at my watch, "11:11," I say.

"Perfect," she says leaning up to kiss me. I close my eyes and wish we were back at the apartment.

That's when I feel us falling back. I can't regain my balance but it didn't seem to matter to her.

We landed on a bed. We both sat up at the same time. I saw the dark mist right before it disappeared.

I looked at Rose who looked just as surprised.

"I actually forgot about that," she says looking at her hands. The mark on her hand and wrist stands out in the moonlight shining in.

"We're in our apartment," I say recognizing the room.

She looks at me, "Is that a problem?"

I pull her to me and we roll on the bed. I hover over her, "Not for me," I say as her dress goes over her head.

She rips open my shirt and my lips descend back on hers.

I pull her up and she looks at me, "I love _you_," she says breathlessly.

"As I love you," I say kissing her to cut off any more words she might have to say.

**Aww I love them, anyways I hope you liked it! Oh and you can tell me by reviewing because I really want to know what you think. Thanks for reading, review!**


	36. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

**Okay so here it is, the chapter you've all been waiting for. The goodbye and the hello...hehehe I hope you enjoy.**

35

Staring at a door won't change what's behind it. I stood there staring at that accursed door for ten minutes with Dimitri and Lissa standing at my side.

An announcement over the loud speaker told me that my plane would be boarding shortly. A way to happy woman wearing a stewardess uniform opened the door to let me see a gloomy hallway.

Lissa turns to me with her thoughts going haywire. She tries to smile, "Rose," she says in a cracked voice.

I just drag her into a hug, "It's going to be fine, this will be completely straightened out in a few weeks and I'll be back here guarding you."

She nods, tears stream down her face, "Yeah."

"Well you sound so convincing," I say trying not to break down. I don't break easily but being so mad and everything else I was wearing down.

She steps back and wipes her eyes, "No, just think of this as a vacation. I mean when you're my Guardian again you'll be stuck with me forever, I'm sure you'll look back at this one day thinking how much you'd love to be rid of me again."

"Lissa," I say exasperated.

She smiles and I can see by her thoughts that she's thinking of ways like that to describe it to herself.

Christian walks towards us now and snakes his arm around Lissa's waist. "Well if it means anything I might miss you."

"Aw Christian, you're going to miss me?" I ask with a huge grin.

He rolls his eyes, "I said _might_."

I give him a hug and he stiffens, after a second he pats me on the back. "Okay, okay, you can stop now," he mutters.

I pull away from him and wipe an imaginary tear from my eye, "Oh Christian I just don't know how I'm going to live without you."

"I'm sure it will be taxing you might not even be able to handle it."

I punch him lightly.

He rolls his eyes again, "Go get on the plane to your mystery person."

Lissa's mind catches at Christian's words.

"They really didn't tell you who you're assigned to?"

I exchange a glance with Dimitri, "No just that I meet him at the airport when I land."

"Well it's a he at least you know that part," Christian points out.

All three of us glare at him.

"Well do you know anyone in Ireland?" Christian asks Dimitri and Lissa, "I can't think of anyone."

"I know dhampirs but no Moroi that live there," Dimitri says shrugging.

"I don't know anyone other than people from school that used to go there on vacation," Lissa says tugging Christian's arm around her.

"Well great," I mutter blowing a piece of hair out of my eyes.

I glare over at the door and the woman. She just smiles and waves like she wants to be my best friend.

"I think I need to go," I say glancing down at my new watch. Lissa had given it to me while we were driving over.

I hug Lissa one more time and she and Christian stay while Dimitri walks me over to the door.

He tugs me into a hug. I put my arms around his neck and breathe in the scent of him. I close my eyes and bury my head in his chest. "Tell me this won't last," I ask him.

"It won't, everything will be fixed soon, I promise."

He surprises me by pulling back he puts his hand in his pocket and takes out a box with just a red ribbon.

"What is that?" I ask eyeing it suspiciously.

He laughs, "It's something I've wanted to give you for awhile now."

I take it noting that it's not as light as I thought it was going to be.

I take one end of the ribbon and pull, I lift the lid. A intricately carved wood box is sitting inside a mess of tissue paper. I take it out and Dimitri takes the ribbon and box from me. I trace the designs, roses, with my fingers. I look up at him and he smiles. This smile is rare, it's the one I only get when I've done something that surprises him.

"Open it Roza," he says huskily.

I lift the lid and my breathing stops. I stare into the box then back at Dimitri then back to the box.

A necklace sits there. Three roses all rubies with silver stems making it into a crescent moon shape. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

I looked back at him speechless.

"I know you don't like the whole rose theme but this has been in my family for a very long time."

"Dimitri I love it," I say picking up the silver chain. He helps me put it on. "I love you," I say staring at him.

"I love you," he says kissing me lightly on the lips.

"Miss you need to board now," the overly happy lady says walking over to us. I look around noticing that Lissa is watching me with a huge grin on her face while Christian stands looking at something over his shoulder.

I also notice that the other people who had been standing around waiting to board were gone.

I lean up and kiss him one last time.

"I promise you that as soon as I can I'll be back to you," I say.

He nods, "I know."

I reluctantly let my hand slide from his. I wave one last time to Lissa and I hand the woman my ticket. I take a deep breath and walk through the dingy hall and to the plane where I get to sit in a window seat next to an overly perfumed woman who kept blabbering to someone across the aisle.

I closed my eyes and concentrated on not killing anyone.

And to keep that last image of the airport away from my thoughts. Of seeing what Christian had been staring at, the lone figure leaning against the row of telephones.

Adrian.

I woke up a few hours later as the captain announced that we needed to put on our seatbelts for landing.

I felt my adrenaline spike as I realized I was getting closer to finding out the mystery behind my new assignment.

The screen at the front of the plane was telling us all about Aerfort Bhaile Atha Cliath. When we landed I stayed in my seat till I had to get off.

The captain and co captain said goodbye in a cheery farewell along with the stewardess from before. I huffed my goodbye and walked off the plane.

Dublin was five hours ahead of me so when I got off the plane to see the afternoon sun I was mildly surprised. I looked at a clock on the wall, it was almost four in the afternoon.

I scanned the airport looking for something or someone that was supposed to show me to where I was going.

"Rosemarie Hathaway?" a cool voice asked from behind me.

I turned to see a tall but broad dark haired man. If I hadn't recognized the stance of the two men standing beside him I would have thought there was a chance for him being a dhampir.

"Yes," I looking him over. He was a Moroi, I could see that but he was different, he looked just as threatening as the Guardians at his side.

He smiles as he looks at me and hold his hand out, "Abe Mazur."

**Cue the dramatic music huh? Hehehehe well sorry to disappoint the people who thought it was going to be Dimitri's dad but I just thought this would be an interesting thing to happen. So review and tell me what you think. Thanks for reading, review!**


	37. Chapter 36

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

**Okay so I promised this a long time ago but I was a bit distracted by the giant chocolate lab that kept trying to attack me. Apparently my laptop tastes like kibble or something. So at least I got this finished and it's a nice long one too!**

36

Abe Mazur was…well…something. There aren't really words to describe him and I just didn't know what to do about him.

After the airport introduction we went to his car, and did he have a car. When he walked up to it I just kind of stared. The other Guardians didn't say anything as I gawked.

It was black, it was a convertible.

It was an Audi S5 Cabriolet.

I knew this because Lissa and I had played with the build your Audi thing on their website. I had picked this one because it was well it was a convertible and an Audi.

An Audi that cost over seventy thousand bucks with all the bells and whistles.

This one definitely had all the bells and whistles plus a few Moroi touches.

Mazur smiled at me, "I take by your expression that you admire my car?"

I did a nervous little breath hitch or whatever you want to call it, a laugh maybe. "I very much like your car," I said walking over to the passenger side. One of his Guardians, Slone, was already sitting in the back. He looked scrunched but wasn't showing anything on his face. The other Guardian whose name was Kimble stood right next to Mazur. I had to hide a chuckle when Kimble was introduced because I immediately thought of Kindergarten Cop.

"Well then Miss Hathaway," Mazur said gesturing me to take the front passenger seat. I looked at the two Guardians and they didn't blink. I shrugged and sank into the plush leather. I had assumed Kimble would be driving.

Nope.

Abe took the wheel and tore through Ireland at speeds I wouldn't even drive.

I had absolutely no idea as to where I was. He pointed things out, town names and such but they all sounded like bagel to me.

"Okay so I have absolutely no clue as to why I'm here or who you are or where I am," I say looking out the highly tinted window.

He laughed under his breath, "I figured you didn't know anything by the way you haven't said a word. I was warned several times by several people about you," he said giving me a sideways glance. "Apparently you have a few people scared out of their wits."

I rolled my eyes back to the window, "I seem to have that affect on people."

"No matter, fear is an untrustworthy emotion that I don't deal with. The amount of warnings I got against you did nothing to sway me considering your skills."

His words were said in a very calm amused voice. "How many warnings did you get?" I ask perplexed

"Several," he said with a smile. "You have mixed reviews and reading over your history well, I must say you are quite impressive. You killed your first Strigoi before turning 18 and then survived a battle after being captured and then did it all over again. Not to mention a few other things and of course the numerous black marks on your record," he said with a sarcastic smile.

He was referring to the little trip Lissa and I took. And of course all of the other things I've done.

"And yet you still decided to take me," I say leaning back in the seat.

"Black marks mean nothing more than the fact you are willing to bend the rules when necessary or in your case break them entirely."

I bit my lip, "Most would say that is a bad thing."

He kept his eyes on the curving road, "I think you'll see that here, we don't care about a few broken rules."

That's when I got it. Abe had to be some mobster guy that other Moroi would see on my record and decide that I wasn't worth being a Guardian. This assignment was to ruin my reputation I just knew it.

Well, bring it on.

When I saw the car I knew that he had to live in a big house. I was surprisingly wrong. It was a modest house if you could even use that word in a sentence describing something of Abe Mazur's.

Though it was perched on a cliff overlooking the most beautiful view I have ever seen, in my life.

It was white and absolutely spotless from the blue shutters to the tin roof. A paved walkway led to a door that looked like it cost more than anything I owned put together. The house might be small but it was expensive, I was sure of that.

"Welcome to my humble abode," he said opening the door. Kimble had gone around back and I felt like an ass. I was here to be a Guardian and I was completely failing.

When I started to look around Mazur grabbed my arm and pulled me into the house, "You can start being a Guardian later tonight when we go out. For right now I need to show you where you'll be staying."

I felt like my eyes were going to bug out of my head.

The inside was like walking into a dream. Hardly anything matched, the furniture in the huge living room was an array of different styles and colors. The walls were white and there was a black leather sofa with a red love seat and a royal blue chair was next to a dark wood end table. A black coffee table held a bowl of actual fruit, none of that ridiculously stupid plastic crap. There was a huge flat screen over a mosaic fireplace that looked like it was actually used and not there just for decoration.

From what I could see of the kitchen it was completely stocked with every expensive kitchen appliance ever made and had marble countertops. We didn't stop there though he led me down a hallway with a lightwood floor and grass green walls. There were paintings of landscapes on the wall every few feet and everything looked expensive to the tables with vases filled with flowers between each door to the door knobs. The hall went into an L shape and he stopped.

"These two rooms are Kimble and Slone's rooms," he said pointing to a door at the end of the hall and to the first door we had passed. "This is mine," he said pointing to one in the middle, "This is yours," he said point to the door the left of his.

I went to it and opened the door.

"You have got to be kidding me," I say letting the door fall open.

"I most certainly am not, I believe in comfort and if the people I'm ensuring my life to aren't comfortable then what does that say for my comfort?"

He made sense, I didn't want to admit it but he did. I knew a lot of Moroi that barely thought anything about the living quarters of their Guardian's letting them stay in a tiny room with a cot. This I could definitely get used to.

The room was ocean blue with a wrought iron four poster bed with a matching bedspread with white silk drapes. There was a huge black wood dresser and a full length matching mirror. A black couch with red pillows was pushed under the two windows.

A desk with a giant black laptop and an artsy lamp stood on the opposite wall from the dresser. Another flat screen, this one a lot smaller, was situated on the wall above the desk.

"Um well thanks," I say turning to Mazur.

There was something in his eyes but it quickly disappeared, "My pleasure, we will be leaving at eight you will need to wear," he considered for a minute.

"Guardian gear?" I suggest.

"That will do," he said turning around and walking down the hall.

I watch after him then walk into my room.

"Wow," I whisper to myself closing the door.

I sat the heavy bag I had forgotten I was holding on the couch. I looked around and noticed a door fit so closely into the wall it was almost invisible.

I went over and pushed it open.

"Holy shit."

It was a bathroom.

A bathroom almost the same size of the room.

"How the hell does this all fit in this house?" I mumble looking at the pristine countertops and the giant walk in shower and a Jacuzzi tub that could be considered a pool.

There was even a linen closet with fluffy towels and washcloths.

I shook my head as I walked out of the bathroom. I dug in my bag for my phone.

I had six missed calls all from Lissa.

"Shit," I say as I feel Lissa's thoughts blast into my own. I feel myself stumble as I slide down into the couch.

Lissa was feeling lost, I could tell she was having a nightmare. That explained why I hadn't heard any thoughts from her while I was on the plane, she was asleep.

I felt her wake up so I decided to call her once my head felt right.

"Rose?" she asks with sleep still in her voice.

"Yeah I saw you called," I say nonchalantly.

"Oh yeah I did, a few times," she said sheepishly.

"So I'm here," I say tentatively.

"Oh how is it who is it?" she asked curiousness flooding into her voice.

"It's a lot better than I thought," I say looking around the room, "a lot better."

"I guess that's good, so you aren't like staying in a closet with just a blanket?"

I laugh, "Far from it," I say loving the feeling of the plush couch.

"So who is it?" she asks in anticipation.

"Um," I think of how to describe him but something tells me that I shouldn't.

"Well I think he's in his late thirties but looks a lot younger. He's got really dark hair and he's not as pale as most Moroi." I left out the fact I'm pretty sure he's a mob boss and could kill someone just as easily as I could.

"What's his name," she asks but I cut her off.

"Hey I have to go, work," I say mumbling into the phone.

"Okay I understand," she says quietly.

"Sorry Lissa," I say hanging up.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" I grumble sinking into the cushions. I couldn't explain why I felt that weird feeling about saying Abe's name.

I think over my messed up life and then call Dimitri.

"Roza," he says clearly as if he hadn't just been asleep when I knew he was.

"Dimitri," I say with a smile.

"So how is your new assignment?" he asks.

"Great for now but I have a strange feeling," I say looking out the window. Strigoi could easily break through the windows. I hoped there was some kickass security besides me and the two other Guardians. "How's yours," I add.

I can just imagine him looking at his surroundings, "Its fine, I've had worse."

"You aren't in a closet are you?" I ask taking Lissa's comment.

"A closet? No I'm in the guest room down the hall from their room. I find it odd that they are being so cautious. I haven't seen a threat to them yet but threats come in up in surprising places so I guess it's good to be cautious."

"Yeah," I say twirling the ends of my hair.

"So who is your charge?" he asks. He would never force me to tell him and he probably wouldn't be mad because he unlike Lissa understood completely.

"I can't really talk about him," I say fudging my reason, "I can tell you that he's not the stuck up Moroi I was expecting."

He was quiet for a minute before he answered, "I guess that will make it easy for you while you're there."

"I hope," I say putting my feet up on the back of the couch.

"I'm afraid I have to go," he says heavily.

"This sucks," I blurt out.

He chuckles, "I agree."

"I'll let you go, I'm going to try and sleep for an hour before I have to work," I say grudgingly.

"Goodbye Roza," he says softly.

"Goodbye Dimitri," I say longingly.

The phone clicks and I stare up at the white ceiling.

"Why does everything have to be so damn white," I say disgusted with the cleanliness of the unlived in room. My thoughts drift to the little apartment and how I would trade everything here to go back to that and Dimitri.

I looked at my watch that I had sat to Ireland time. It was almost six.

I went to the bed and fell face first into the pillows.

**Okay so there you go, Rose's beggining of her first day. Well just wait till she gets out there and has to be on her guard. It's going to be intersting to see what happens oh and...okay gotta run. Need to make a stop to Barnes and Noble!**

**Hahaha thanks for reading guys and putting up with me, review!**


	38. Chapter 37

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

**Okay so here is the next chapter. It's taken me awhile to write and personally I like the last part the best.**

37

I woke up a little after seven. I sat up and my vision swam. I sat with my hand held to my hand till the swirling stopped. I went to the couch and grabbed my bag and dug around for my clothes and a change of underwear.

I went to the enormous bathroom and fiddled with the shower till I got it to work. It took longer than I thought, why do people see the need to make expensive showers so difficult? It's like if you can't afford it than you can't afford the instructions.

I washed my hair with the shampoo that was surprisingly waiting to be used. It smelled really good and made my hair feel extremely clean.

I dressed in lightning speed and towel dried my hair as best I could before taking a hairdryer to it. When I was done I found myself standing in front of the full length mirror in my room.

My all black ensemble made me look, I didn't know what it did. My hair had somehow gotten longer without me noticing and the violet glinted in the light as I turned my head. I leaned closer to inspect my eyes. They were still brown but had like a violet ring around the outside and a starburst of violet flitting through the middle.

"What is the point?" I ask my reflection. "Why was I changed? Why did this happen?"

My reflection didn't answer, no one did.

I went back to the bathroom and got the little hand mirror I had with my makeup bag. I lifted my hair and looked at the back of my neck.

My promise mark was sitting right above the molnija marks I got for Spokane and the two I got for being in battle. I also had one under those for Zacharie. My stomach rolled and I let my hair drop.

I tied my hair back at the nape of my neck with the rubber band I had stolen from Dimitri.

I went back to my bag and dug around finding the black bra I had been searching for earlier before giving up and settling for the fire engine red one. I pulled out a scarf wrapped object and sat down on the couch.

Countless people had asked me, Lissa, Christian, Dimitri included, if I had ever gotten this back. I told them all no, I lied.

I unwrapped it and held it in my hand. It gleamed like it had just been polished.

I never really got to admire the hilt before everything went south. I held it in my hand and looked it over. It was always changing but a few things stayed the same. Like the fact violet stone at the bottom. I held it up to the light and noticed that I could see a rune through it. It was the same rune that was on the center of my forehead when I had all of my marks. I still didn't know what it meant but I figured it was something special.

I stood up and added my hilt to my stake that was strapped to my waist. I slid on my jacket from the Shadow World and walked out of my room.

I almost ran into Slone. He was about to knock on my door.

He stepped back hastily, "I need to speak with you," he said in a rich Irish accent.

"Okay," I say as my door snaps close.

"We have one person by his side at all times while the other stays back and surveys. Now that we have you," he says looking me up and down. I cross my arms and drop my emotion from my expression. "you will be the near guard."

"Okay so where are we going?" I ask.

"You'll see, let's go," he says turning down the hall. I glare after him but follow him.

Mr. Irish was in his late twenties. His hair was bronze and silky and his eyes had been blue. He was extremely tall but not as tall as Dimitri. His face was also scruffy and unshaven. Basically he was nice to look at and was definitely someone I would have drooled over in a past life.

He definitely looked like he had been a badass in school. One who didn't follow the rules, I was beginning to see similarities considering Kimble looked like the same kind of person.

Then again, so did Abe.

I followed down the hall and into the living room where Abe stood in a expensive suit with a blood red scarf wrapped around his neck. Kimble stood in the same exact outfit as Slone, a dark suit that would be easy to fight in if need be.

Abe looked at me with a weird expression I couldn't place, "Well I'm glad you seem to be adjusting so quickly."

I shrug, "We train for these kinds of things."

"Yes well we need to be going I have business to attend to."

I wondered what kind of _business_ he was talking about but kept my mouth shut while I walked by his side to the garage. We hadn't parked his beautiful car there, he had left it in the drive way right in front of the house. Inside the garage I had to hold my face steady. I hadn't seen the garage since it was on the opposite side of the house. The house might not be giant but it was a good size and the garage ran the length of it. He had to have at least ten cars, most of them really expensive sports cars.

He walked to a polished black Lexus and opened the door to show off the black and red interior. "I see you are a car person, do you know what this is?" he asked.

I shook my head no.

"Probably because it's the new Lexus lfa not even advertised yet."

Slone and Kimble exchanged looks and got into another Lexus that looked similar. I went around to the passenger side and slid into the seat. There was definitely not enough room for Slone or Kimble in this car.

We were racing down the road before I even buckled my seatbelt.

"Where are we going?" I asked looking as we sped down the same twisted road.

"I have a meeting I need to attend," he said flatly. I didn't ask him any questions. We drove in silence for twenty minutes through some countryside and then suddenly we were in a city. He navigated the streets easily and headed down a deserted alley. I could tell we were at a bar without even glancing at the neon sign above the door.

The car came to a stop in a back parking lot and Abe turned to me, "Your new I respect that but there are rules here, do not speak," he said pointedly.

I tensed but nodded while I was thinking about the mess I was in.

We got out of the car and I was by his side before he could take a step. He glanced at me curiously but ignored my random burst of speed. We walked towards a back entrance my ears pricked as I heard the footsteps behind us. I barely turned my head before I saw Slone go off around the building and Kimble following behind. Abe opened the door with an ancient looking key. "Come along," he said walking through the door. I inched my way in front of him because I didn't trust dark rooms. He kept going towards a room at the end of the hall. He knocked and the door opened. I turned to see Kimble come through the door we had just walked through. He nodded at me then continued his scan of the building. I followed Abe into the room and stayed quiet.

There were several people here, when I say people I mean humans. For a second I thought we were at a Feeders bar but these were all men, big thug like men. They were speaking in a language I didn't understand. I noticed two other Moroi who each had a stern looking Guardian at their sides.

Abe joined in extremely lively. He spoke fluently whatever language it was they were speaking. He took an empty seat and I stood behind him.

God this was boring. I kept alert while simultaneously thinking about how much guarding Lissa would be ten times better than guarding Abe. I put my hands behind my back and grasped my wrists.

The whole thing took about half an hour but apparently Abe convinced them to do something. The Moroi that were there looked pleased.

"We're leaving," Abe said standing.

I went ahead of him while still keeping my eyes on the humans. After everything I've been through I've lost my faith in humans, especially creepy thug humans in a dark room.

I opened the door and peered out, nothing.

Abe and I walked out.

He took off in a different direction than the car. I wanted to protest but I remembered again that this wasn't Lissa, I had no say in what my _charge_ did.

I followed diligently as he crossed the road. "I'm surprised you haven't asked where we're going," he said looking at me sideways.

I shrugged, "It's not like I can stop you."

"True," he said giving me a wicked smile.

I stopped. I grabbed the end of his jacket and pulled him towards me.

I turned and looked back at the shadows.

"Rosemarie," he said softly, "what's wrong?"

"There's something," I start to say but I don't need to.

I hear Slone shout out a warning two seconds after I throw my stake and it buries itself in a Strigoi's chest.

Two more come out from a secluded alley and I take the hilt as it changes into a stake. I hold it out in front of me while making sure Abe is behind me.

Slone is nowhere in sight, Kimble, well I have no clue.

I take Abe and back up into a dead end. I look up and after I'm sure no one is going to launch over the rooftops I stand ready.

One Strigoi stays in the back while one advances. He was a dhampir before he changed and he lunges forward. I flit easily to the side shoving my elbow into his nose hearing a satisfying crunch. He falls forward and snakes an arm towards my legs. I slam my foot into his shoulder and my stake into his back.

I slide it out of the cold flesh and lunge towards the other who was running towards Abe. I glance back at him but he's just standing there watching.

I roll my eyes as I grab the Strigoi by his collar and throw him backwards. He gained his footing and his hand shot out and he punched me in the shoulder. Spasms shot through my arm but I ignored them. I lashed out and caught him across the face with my knuckles. He ducked around and grabbed my arm and twisted it around behind me.

I felt his hot breath on my neck, "Daddy can't save you," he snarled.

"Good think I don't need saving," I say leaning back into him.

We topple over and I elbow him hard in the ribs. He's not going down that easy. He kicks with his legs and one of his boots connects with my stomach. Air rushes out of my lungs as I scramble back to my feet. He attempts to get to his feet as well but I kick his feet out from under him.

I take my stake and it grows into the familiar sword. He backs away from it looking nervous, something I haven't seen much on a Strigoi face.

That's when I recognize him. He was in my class back at school.

His lips hitch up into a horrid grin, "Hey there little Rosey miss me much?"

"No," I say letting my anger rush out of me as I plunged my sword into his heart.

His mocking smile twisted into a look of horror.

I wrench my sword out of his chest and went back to Abe. "Let's go back to the car now," I say taking his arm.

"Okay then," he says following me.

I pick my stake out of the first Strigoi's chest as we walk by.

Abe doesn't say anything as we walk back. When we get there Slone and Kimble are leaning against the cars.

I stop in my tracks.

"You're shitting me."

**See! I love that part! Hehehe just wait till the next chapter it's going to be GREAT! Hahaha well thanks for reading, review!**


	39. Chapter 38

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

**Okay so I think this chapter will make a few people happy because it gives a little...and it gives you the name of the Strigoi...oh did I say that? Well anyways enjoy the reading!**

38

I stand with my hands on my hips as I glare at the three guys leaning against the two black cars.

"This was a test?" I ask outraged.

The two guardians exchange glances but Abe just looks straight at me.

"Yes."

I close my eyes because looking at him was making me want to kill him. I take a deep breath and unclench my fingers from a fist one by one.

"You passed like I knew you would if you were wondering," Abe adds.

I blow up, "Does it look like I care?" I yell throwing up my hands while stepping forward.

The two Guardians moved forward to restrain me. I grab Kimble's arm and swing him around as fast as I can smashing him into Slone. They both turn and come at me again but I throw them both on their asses. Abe didn't look shocked he just stood there with a blank expression.

I was three inches away from him, my nostrils flaring in about two seconds.

We glared at each other until he burst into laughter.

I stepped back in surprise.

He threw his arm around my shoulders and pulled me to where Slone and Kimble were sitting on the pavement looking stunned.

"I'm disappointed to say that I thought you would have lasted longer against her," he tsked at his downed guardians.

Kimble didn't say anything but Slone laughed and stood up. He walked over to me and held his hand out for me to shake.

I reluctantly took it and he squeezed my fingers, "I just wanted to say I never doubted your abilities, Kimble though," he said turning to stare at his partner, "had his doubts."

Kimble got to his feet, "Yeah well I don't anymore," he grunted.

I rolled my eyes and pushed Abe away from me, "How did you even know they were going to be here," I growl.

He smiles, "This is probably one of the most dangerous places for Moroi in all of Ireland."

"Of course it is," I say exasperated. "Why else would we be here?"

"I had to make sure you were everything people say about you."

"I'm about three seconds away from taking your head off and adding it to my collection," I growl at him turning away.

He chuckles again, "That won't be necessary, you were brilliant. I've never seen anyone that efficient."

I turn on my heel, "Well I'm happy I'm efficient at killing people I know!" I nearly shout.

I go to the car Kimble and Slone took. I wrench open the driver's door and glare at the other two Guardians. "Let's go this place isn't _safe_."

I get in and slam the door and wait. I don't even look at the three of them still standing there.

After three minutes and forty six seconds Slone slides into the passenger seat while Kimble rides with Abe.

I wait for the assh…I mean Abe to drive onto the road. He seems to be taking his time.

"You know they aren't themselves," he says silently.

I tighten my grip on the steering wheel.

"They might look like someone you know but they aren't."

I take a deep breath and turn to look at Slone. "I am the last person you need to sell that bullshit to. I know they aren't the same but there is a part left over, it's called they know everything from before," I say coldly.

I gun the engine as Abe takes off. I follow him, happy that no one protested about me driving. I follow him as closely as possible all the way till we're in the driveway.

Slone didn't try and talk to me the whole way and I respected him for it.

Mainly I figured he was afraid I would kill him but hey at least I know they know I can.

I got out and slammed my door I stood still as Abe and Kimble got out of their own car.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" I ask in a fake-sweet voice.

Abe looks at me with regard. "No we are finished for the day," he says taking a briefcase from his car.

"Goodnight," I say turning on my heel and going straight to my room like a child.

When I get there I lock the door. I kick my desk chair across the room where it slams into the couch. I rip my jacket from my shoulders and throw it too.

I collapse on the bed and barely hold myself back from ripping the pillows.

I kept seeing the Strigoi right before I killed him.

I keep hearing his voice.

"_Daddy can't save you."_

"What the hell does that even mean?" I say into the sheets.

I do the first thing that comes to mind.

The call goes to voicemail.

"Dimitri I need you to call me as soon as possible."

I hang up and turn to lay on my back.

I look at my watch, it's barely even two.

"I cannot believe I acted like that," I grumble as I feel myself falling asleep.

_I'm fighting someone. I get kicked in the stomach and I feel my breath leave me._

"_Hey there little Rosey miss me much?"_

_I turn to see him with my sword raised._

"_No," I whisper in disbelief more than answering._

_Jesse Zeklos smiles mockingly right before I run him through with my sword._

"So is this a twisted 'what you would do if given the chance?' dream or is this something that happened?" a voice asks from behind me.

I whip around my sword clattering from my hands.

Adrian is leaning against the alley wall wearing pajama pants and nothing else.

I look down at myself just in case but I'm wearing my guardian clothes.

He looks at me too, "I have to say I prefer that other outfit you were wearing for so long."

I roll my eyes and turn around. I don't get the chance to see anything because the alley melts away and we're in a garden with a gazebo.

I turn back to Adrian who is now in his usual attire. I'm even in a pair of jean shorts and a tank top.

"What are you doing here?" I ask sinking to the green grass.

He walks over to me and sits right smack dab beside me. He grabs my right hand and traces my mark.

"I felt you and well I'm finding that you have a pull on me. Every time I fall asleep if you're asleep I find myself here. Most of the time you don't see me so I leave but then sometimes you do and well then you know what happens then."

I pull at the grass blades.

"So what did I just walk in to?" he asks.

I lean back and shake my hair out of my face. He isn't looking at me when I answer.

"Jesse was here and I killed him just a little while ago. Apparently Abe thought he needed to test me so he went to a meeting if that was what it was in the most dangerous part of town. When we were walking we got attacked by three Strigoi, his other guardians didn't even show up to help."

"Abe?" is the only thing he says to my story.

"Yeah that's my Moroi's name," I say falling backwards into the grass. Adrian's dream world is always strange. Half of the sky was light while the other was dark. It was warm but not hot.

"Abe what?" he asks leaning over me.

"What does it matter?" I ask.

"Just tell me Rose," he says leaning closer. I scoot away from him a bit.

"Mazur," I answer sitting up.

"Hmm I think I've heard of him," he mumbles backing off.

He lays back in the grass and after a second I join him.

"So you killed three Strigoi on your first day? That has to be a record," he says.

"Probably but I really can't be excited about it. I mean I killed Jesse, do you even know who he is?"

"He was a royal brat at the academy wasn't he?"

"Yeah he was, I liked him for a long time but well…never mind," I say flipping over to my stomach.

Adrian copies me and our shoulders are touching.

"So do all guys that you like end up dead?" he asks quietly.

"Asshole," I growl getting to my feet. I move as far away as I can from him but he just follows.

"Look Rose, I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like that."

I stop and I can feel him right behind me.

"I am an asshole I'll admit to it. So just talk, why do you think Jesse turned?"

"I don't know, it was different," I say remembering the look he gave me. "It was like he was looking for me or something," I say looking at my mark.

"Why would he be looking for you?" Adrian asked.

"I don't know it was weird, he said something that just makes it even more confusing."

"Like what?"

"He said, 'Daddy can't save you', I don't know what that is even supposed to mean. I've never met my father I don't even know what he looks like. He probably doesn't even know about me or care so why would Jesse say that?"

He doesn't answer so I turn around and almost fall over. He reaches out and catches my arm so I don't fall on my ass. He's hardly an inch away from me and I can smell his cologne for once, no cloves.

"Did you quit smoking too?" I ask when I gain my balance.

"Unfortunately," he says closing his eyes.

"Why?"

He peeks at me from under his lashes, "Someone told me they would kill me one day. Since I seem to be friends with people with death trailing them I figured I give myself a few more years just in case."

The dream shifted again and we were back at the ski lodge where we first met.

"Adrian," I protest.

"Relax Rose, it's just a dream," he says leaning closer. His breath that for once smells only like toothpaste is at my neck, one of his hands in my hair while the other is exploring under my tank top.

My hands are on his chest as he trails a kiss from my neck to my ear. My eyes are closed and I feel his lips millimeters away from my lips.

His lips whisper against mine, "Goodbye Rose."

My eyes shoot open and I'm staring at the canopy of my bed in Ireland so far away from everything.

**So there you go, I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading, review! Oh and I am so tormented! I have no idea what I'm going to do but I have a feeling a lot of people are going to be mad. Hehehehe now that's a cliffhanger for ya...**


	40. Chapter 39

**Disclaimer: So yeah I'm not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything that she came up with. I however DO OWN THE STUFF I CAME UP WITH!**

**Sorry about that little spat! I was just informed today about a funny little something, a funny little something that decided to plagerize! You have no idea how angry I am! Grrr!**

**Anywho here is chapter thirty nine, sorry it took so long! I've been having problems with my hand and it's been hard to type. But here it is I hope you enjoy!**

39

"Dimitri I don't mean to sound like a psycho person but if you don't call me right now I'm going to find you and kick your ass for not calling me. You have no idea what happened to me and I really need to speak with you."

I close the phone and resist the urge to throw it. I place it next to me instead.

I've left five messages for Lissa, three for Christian, eight for Adrian and eighteen for Dimitri.

Something is not right and I'm pissed.

It's been two days since Abe's little test and I haven't heard a word from anyone. Even slipping into Lissa's head isn't worth it. The only thing I ever see is her sleeping or listening to a lecture.

At least I know she's safe.

Well safe for now, because when I get through with her she won't be so bubbly and perky anymore.

"Fine, I give up," I grumble to the phone. "Everyone else is too busy for me, well fine."

I get off the bed and change out of my pajamas into my uniform.

I wrench open my bedroom door and go to Slone's room. He opens after my third knock.

"Hathaway?" he asks taking in my uniform.

"Want to practice while Abe's napping?" I ask.

"Uh sure, why not," he says hesitantly.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you," I say over my shoulder as I make my way to the gym Abe has downstairs.

I set a few things up while I wait for Slone. I wrap my hands and stretch.

"What do you want to work on?" Slone asks from behind me.

I turn on my heel, "Combat?"

He bites his lip, "Okay."

"Are you scared?" I ask tauntingly.

He straightens up, "No."

I smile, "Sure."

While he wraps his hands I look around the training area. There's a mat with a fighting circle drawn perfectly in red. I wander over there and wait for him to approach.

He eyes me and I can see him trying to figure out what I'm going to do.

"Rules?" I ask.

"No killing?" he suggests.

"Seems fair," I say as I dodge his lunge.

I block him as he sends his fist towards my face. I lash out and get two quick jabs into his side. He flips around and grabs my arm. He twists it behind me but before he can push me out of the circle I let my weight fall. I flip him over my shoulder and he lands with a thud outside the circle.

"Point?" I ask with a smile standing over him.

"Sure," he says kicking my legs out from under me.

I fall right on top of him. I blink and realize I'm basically laying on him, my hair is brushing his face. His bright blue eyes are staring at me with amusement, "If that counts," he says quickly.

I scowl at him but don't get to say my retort.

"If I had known there was going to be a show tonight I would have come earlier," a voice says from the stairs.

We turn to see Kimble and Abe staring down at us.

Slone gets quickly to his feet, pushing me up in the process. He stands with his hands behind his back.

I roll my eyes and stand beside him, "No show, just practice."

Amused Abe descends the stairs, "Practice, I see."

I narrow my eyes, "I thought you were napping?"

"Ah but I received an interesting phone call that woke me."

I wait for him to explain but he doesn't.

"I guess you two can carry on, we won't be leaving the house today."

Abe, followed by a grumpy Kimble, climb back up the stairs leaving me with Slone.

He doesn't relax after we hear the door shut.

"Well that was awkward," I mutter going to the sink in the corner. I grab a glass from the cabinet and fill it with water.

I turn and lean against cabinets and stare at Slone.

He's still standing there looking at me.

"You are a good fighter," is all he says before he suddenly leaves.

I watch him disappear up the stairs before I skulk back to my room.

I dive for my phone but there are no new messages.

I close my eyes and collapse on my bed.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," I mumble.

The urge to just _poof_ there is almost unbearable but I know that I shouldn't. What's the point in having powers if you aren't allowed to use them?

* * *

"I didn't tell you this to have you go insane on me," I bark into the phone.

"I know why you told me this and that's exactly the reaction you were expecting," growls through the speaker of my phone.

"Not exactly but still, you needed to know."

"Goodbye," is all she mutters before the call disconnects.

I push the phone away from me as I lean back into the couch.

She was right, she acted just like I hoped. I know it was selfish of me but I just can't help it.

The urge for a cigarette nags at me but I squash it by turning on the television.

The news is on apparently there was a huge bust somewhere in Europe. They show a few mug shots and I recognize two of them to be Moroi. I flip the channel, uninterested.

A pounding headache erupts behind my eyes.

I rub my temples and lay back on the couch.

She needed to know.

Rose deserves to know who she's guarding.

What she's gotten in to.

**I know I'm being vague and mysterious now but just wait you'll figure it out! Thanks for reading, review!**

**Oh and if anyone wants to know about that _funny little thing_ I'll be glad to talk about it. In fact it's so unbelievable that I want to talk about it, when I found out I almost burst out into laughter then I was extremely pissed...**

**Anyways sorry for the crazy ranting! Thanks again guys, I really appreciate your reading and your reviews!**

**~Kaiai**


	41. Chapter 40

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead but I can confirm that I am KAIAI and I don't own anything other than the stuff I as in KAIAI make up. ;)**

**Bahahaha so that other story is finally gone! So woo for that, and here is chapter forty! I think a few of you will like this because it kind of shows what Mr. Sneaky was up to...enjoy!**

40

I woke from a fitful sleep with a gasp. I hadn't realized I was so tired. My hands were still wrapped from the practice session. I ripped them off and tossed them away.

My long hair was twisted around my shoulders. I glanced at the clock and groaned. It was only six o'clock in the afternoon. I had only slept for half an hour.

I pushed myself up and went to the bathroom. A cold shower was what I needed. As I watched the water pool in the tub thoughts whipped through my head.

I slipped out of my clothes and into the water. The instant the water hit me I was awake.

I washed my hair vigorously as if that would help.

After that when my hair was dry I went to my closet and gazed at the clothes. I took a pair of dark skinny jeans, the only pair I brought, and a black tank.

I looked at myself in the mirror for a long time.

My hair was a lot longer than I recalled, it was almost past my waist and it seemed thicker. I was going to need to cut it soon. I pushed it over my shoulders and went to find my nice boots.

I grabbed my cell that still had no new calls and walked out the door. I heard the TV on so I went to the living room.

Abe was sitting on the edge of the couch with his elbows on his knees. Slone was sitting off to the side in an arm chair while Kimble was in the kitchen.

"Well, looks like our rare flower is making an appearance."

I glare at him and look at the television. I see a shot of some familiar looking faces before Abe shuts it off.

"Are you planning on going somewhere?" he asks looking me up and down. Slone is eyeing me precariously as well.

"Yes, if you can spare me," I say standing up straight.

"Do you know where you're going?" he asks raising an eyebrow.

"I think I'll be able to figure it out," I say blankly.

He eyes me with sheer curiousness.

"Well I did tell you I didn't need you today, so I see no problem with you going out."

I heard Kimble make an annoyed noise from the kitchen but no one paid him any mind.

I smiled sweetly, "Thank you so much," I say turning on my heel.

But of course, nothing can ever be easy.

If anything in my life was easy I'd be Moroi. So of course the second I open the door there's a catch.

But not the catch you would think.

I walk to the door and open it. I hadn't been planning on going out this way, I was just going to use the garage door and let them think I took a car.

But no, I had changed my mind at the last second to make my exit look a tad bit more dramatic.

A figure is standing in front of me, hand raised to knock or break down the door, I'm not sure.

Slone jumps to his feet and I hear Kimble run out of the kitchen.

I just stand there with my mouth agape my hand still on the door knob.

"Mom?" I ask in complete disbelief.

* * *

I stare at the screen of my phone, there are countless messages from Rose. I groan as sink into my armchair. The Ivashkov's have been relentless. This was the first time I had been given the night off in what seemed like weeks.

The trial was moving closer and closer so they were constantly out of their house and in need of as much protection as possible. Or so they think. There hadn't been a breach in security anywhere in weeks. They were paranoid, but being as how they are my boss I would be a fool to tell them that.

Rose would though…I think absently.

Thinking of her makes me pick my phone up and listen to her messages.

By the time I'm done I'm sitting on the edge of my seat with my head resting on my palm.

She was pissed, and she had good reason.

I called her back as soon as the last message was over.

"Not now!" she shouts before she hangs up.

I pull the phone away from my ear to check that the call is disconnected. Before I have a chance to call her back Lissa calls.

"Dimitri have you talked to Rose?"

"I just tried to but she yelled at me," I say dazed.

"She yelled at me too, I had so many messages from her."

"You haven't been answering her?" I ask getting up.

"I haven't been able too! I've had so much work and that trial I've been in and out of Court more than I've been to class!"

I pace across the floor, "Something is wrong."

"I know but she's not answering her phone anymore."

"I'll try again, maybe she'll answer mine."

"Okay but…call me when you've talked to her," she pleads."

I will," I say highly doubting I'll get a hold of her.

* * *

"How did you get past the security?" is the first thing out of my mouth when she pushes past me.

She looks around the house and at Abe and the Guardians then back at me.

"What are you doing here?" she asks completely livid.

I shake my head in anger, "You cannot be serious. You burst into a secure house and ask me why I'm here?" I almost yell in outrage.

"Do you know anything?" she asks taking a step closer to me.

"Know what? That you have apparently flown over the cuckoo's nest? I was beginning to get that," I snarl.

"Rose," a voice from the living room says calmly.

Abe stands up, shaking off Slone. Kimble is lurking in the corner and his expression is taut.

Janine glares at him, "Don't even speak," she growls.

I stare back and forth between them.

"What the hell is going on?"

My phone rings and I automatically grab it, I don't look who's calling, I just continue to stare at my mother and Abe.

"Whoever you are I can't talk but thanks for finally calling back," I nearly yell into the phone. I end the call and a before I slip it back into my pocket it rings again.

"Not now!" I shout. Janine had turned on Abe and was beginning to yell at him. I dropped my phone and went for her.

I grabbed her arm just as she was about to grab Abe.

"Let me go," she snarls.

"Give me a reason," I say pulling her back.

Abe just looks lost. I hadn't heard what she said.

"Here's your reason, I'm going to kill your father."

I drop her arm.

"What?" I murmur.

She turns to me just as Abe looks up.

"No, no, no, this is not happening," I say backing up.

"Rose," Janine says right before I fall.

**Hehehehehehehe I love Janine, just wait its going to get better.**

**Oh and to the concerned reviewers that ask me if I'm going to write another story after this. If I do write another it won't be right away. I've promised my Blood and Chocolate fans that I'm going to finish Moonlight, my fanfic that probably hasn't seen a new chapter in a year. And I don't even know how I could continue this VA, what I have planned I think is going to be a pretty good conclusion in the next ten chapters...oh yeah chapter 50 will be the last. If I ever do I will probably write an entirely different plot considering when I started this Blood Promise and Spirit Bound hadn't even come out yet. And I've been dying to write what I want to happen in that one little part of Spirit Bound with that heart wrenching quote that I won't mention. Ugh it made me so mad, I seriously think I shouted BS when I read that.**

**So anyways thanks for reading! Review! :D**

**~Kaiai**


	42. Chapter 41

**Disclaimer: I am not Richelle Mead, though I am KAIAI, so that means I don't own anything from Richelle Mead's books, however, I do own the stuff I make up.**

**I don't know why but I like this chapter. Oh and (you'll know what I'm talking about when you get there) I hadn't meant for it to be in that POV it just sort of happened. So read and enjoy!**

41

I was sitting on the couch.

I was pissed.

I was going to kill something when given the chance.

* * *

I was going to kill him.

I just knew it.

It made sense.

I walked to the dining room where I was told Adrian was waiting to speak to me.

I pushed the door open noticing Eddie standing in the corner. We nodded at each other and I took the seat across the table from Adrian.

"I know I'm not the person you want to be spending your day off but I have some information for you that I think you'll find interesting," he said in a rush.

I kept still, "Okay."

"I know who the Moroi is that Rose is guarding."

I raise an eyebrow, "And I want to know this why?"

"Because," he said putting his elbows on the table, "You know who he is too. I believe your entire family knows who he is."

"Your point?" I ask.

"His name is Mazur."

His words were like a blow, completely unexpected.

"You're sure?" I ask.

He nods, "Janine left on the first flight."

"Janine?" I ask puzzled.

"She uh thought it was necessary," he says tapping his fingers on the polished table.

I stood up pushing the chair out of my way as I walked out.

Adrian called after me but I ignored him.

I found Lord Ivashkov in his study.

I knew it wouldn't be easy.

I knew it was something I needed to do.

She was going to be the death of me.

* * *

"Okay let me get this straight," I say looking from Abe to my mother.

"You are saying that he," I said pointing to Abe, "is my father."

Janine nodded a look of something between disgust and shame on her face.

I bit my lip and continued to look between them before I burst out in hysterical laughter.

"You have got to be kidding me," I manage between breaths. "So what?" I ask turning to Abe.

"You request me to be your Guardian so we can spend some father daughter time together? You forgot to you know mention that key detail," I say shaking my head. "This is absolutely ridiculous, unbelievable."

"Why is it ridiculous?" Abe asks suddenly.

I turn exasperated towards him, "The entire thing is ridiculous."

"I don't. It was the only way I would have ever gotten to see you," he says eying Janine.

"You know perfectly well why I didn't want you to see her."

"Hold it, what?" I ask trying to interrupt.

"No I don't. I just have your twisted idea."

"It's not twisted, how many Moroi men do you know that care anything about their dhampir children? I knew exactly what would happen if Rose knew anything about you. She would never understand why you weren't around like fathers are supposed to be."

I stood up and glared between them, "Well mom it wouldn't have mattered. I always wondered why you weren't around like other mothers were supposed to be, a father wouldn't have made a difference."

I don't run out of the room like a child. I've felt like a child enough for one day. Kimble is in the hall fiddling with a security panel. I pass him and walk out the door.

There's an outcropping of rocks and that's where I head. I peer out at the waves I can see crashing down on the shore far below.

I just can't wrap my mind around the idea of those two…bleck.

A shiver runs down my spine as the thought flicks through my mind.

"Did you know?" I ask before he speaks.

Slone sighs and comes into sight. He sits down on a rock opposite me.

"Yes I did."

"Did Kimble?"

"Yes."

"Great, I'm so happy everyone else is in on my life."

"It's not your fault. Mazur wanted to know you and this was the only way he could think of."

"The only way?" I snort. "I think I would have preferred a card saying 'Hey I'm a big time crime boss and I'm also your dad' yeah that would have been good."

"He's not a crime boss," Slone says automatically.

I give him a pointed look.

He grimaces, "I've been his Guardian since I got out of the Academy, Kimble's been with him longer, and he's not all bad. He might not have gone the right way with this but I do know one thing," he says catching my eyes.

"He's proud of you."

* * *

"I cannot believe you would do something like this Ibrahim. She is not something you can just play with, she is my daughter."

"She is _our_ daughter Janine," I hiss.

"A daughter you've had nothing to do with," she says getting up.

"And whose fault is that?" I ask standing up too. Janine might be five foot tall but her attitude was as fiery as her hair.

"You know exactly whose fault it is."

"No actually I don't," I say staring out the window. "I just remember you saying you understood and then disappearing. I remember that."

She didn't say anything she just stood there, her temper rising.

I turned back and looked at her, she looked different, but she still looked like my Janine.

"I just don't understand what your thought process was? I mean you know me, you know what I do, how did you ever think I would just abandon you and Rose?" I ask staring her down.

"Because you had already abandoned us," she says her expression unbreakable. "You're right, I know what you _are_. And what you _are_ is exactly the reason why I never told Rose about you. I was young and stupid when I met you. I wish I never had then none of this would have happened."

"You mean Rose never would have happened," I say. "Well Janine I'm sorry you couldn't see that I really did care about you. I'm sorry you let someone tell you a rumor that I never thought you'd believe."

She looks away and towards the wall.

I walk over to her and twist a piece of her hair between my fingers. She flinches but she doesn't move.

"I'm not denying what I am Janine. You knew exactly what I was when you met me. You might have been young, but you were never stupid."

I drop the strand of hair and walk out of the room.

* * *

Two more hours, that's all that's left.

Two more hours.

* * *

I was completely taken aback when he came back with his proposition. I never thought he would have even considered asking me for my help.

I will admit he was brilliant. When he came back and told me I was speechless. Then my father came back in and I just went with what Dimitri had told me.

Now there was just an hour before we landed.

I was taking his word that he knew where he was going, he hadn't been off the phone long enough for me to voice any doubts.

I took a deep breath and looked out the small window of the private plane.

It wouldn't be long now.

**I know cryptic, just wait I think there's a funny part coming soon. :D**

**Anyways thanks for reading guys, review and tell me what you think is going to happen, I'd love to hear the ideas...might even let you in on a secret...**

**~Kaiai**


	43. Chapter 42

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead but I am KAIAI! That means I don't own anything from her books, just the stuff I make up.**

**Okay okay I know, it's extremely late but I had to work. So just be glad I got it up. Anyways I think a lot of people are going to be mad...**

42

"How long have we been out here?" I ask out of curiosity.

Slone shrugs, "You're the one wearing a watch."

"Oh," I glance down it tells me its well past eleven.

"Great," I say standing up. Slone gets up as well.

"I guess I should go make sure they're alive."

"They are," Slone says matter-of-factly.

I give him a sideways glance.

"Kimble would have called or found us if something happened," he said in a rush of accent.

I sighed, thinking of another accent and we started back to the house side by side.

When we reached the front yard Slone grabbed my arm and stopped me.

He was scanning the drive and that's when I noticed the car.

I peered around but I couldn't detect anyone. And whatever, whoever, they were they weren't Strigoi. My senses were still acute to tell me that.

We walked slowly, with Slone's hand still on my arm.

"Well this is a tad awkward," a voice says from the front door.

We both turn and Slone steps in front of me. I ignore it and peer over his shoulder.

My jaw drops and I push Slone out of my way.

"What the hell is going on?"

"I could ask you the same thing," a voice says from behind me.

I whip around to see a figure in the shadow.

Slone turns around with me and tries to push me behind him. I just elbow him away.

"What is going on?" I ask again.

"Why don't you explain Rose," Dimitri asks walking towards me. His eyes are flat and emotionless.

"Rose who are these people?" Slone asks looking over his shoulder.

"Friends," I say not finding the words to describe them.

"Well your friends are trespassing," Slone says eyeing Dimitri.

Dimitri looked at Slone and then Adrian walked around so he could see us.

"I think I'll speak for everyone when I say Rose, what were you doing off in the dark with this guy?" he asks gesturing to Slone.

I look from Dimitri to Adrian.

"You have got to be kidding me," I ask completely amazed.

Adrian just looked at me peculiarly.

"Has every one forgotten that I am a Guardian? That this is my job? I think I'll be asking the questions here," I say losing my temper.

"We haven't forgotten," Eddie says. I hadn't even noticed him. "I don't know what you two," he said looking pointedly at Adrian and Dimitri, "wanted in coming here but this _is_ Rose's job and you've just barged in on it."

"Thank you Eddie," I say completely taken aback.

He nods and then crosses his arm.

The door to the house opens.

Abe stands there with Kimble at his side.

"I don't know what the hell is going on but I'd rather you come inside then stand around like idiots on my front lawn," Abe says completely annoyed.

Slone glances at me, "They're okay I promise," I say to him.

He glares at Dimitri and Adrian one more time before he storms off.

I turn my own glare to them, "Come with me now."

I turn on my heel and walk into the house with them on my heels.

"Who are these people?" Abe demands.

I turn. Dimitri, Adrian and Eddie are standing in front of the door. Dimitri looks brooding, Adrian annoyed, and Eddie neutral.

"This is Eddie Castile, he's a friend from school," I say pointing to Eddie. I move to Adrian, "This is Adrian Ivashkov an idiot I'm afraid to mention I know." When I got to Dimitri I didn't know exactly what to say, "This is Dimitri Belikov he's…."

"I know who he is," Abe says looking at Dimitri with a hardened gaze.

"Zmey," Dimitri says with ice in his voice.

A sly smile twists Abe's lips.

That's about when Janine walks out to see what's happening.

"Well isn't this just perfect," I say exasperated. "You all have fun discussing things, I'm going to go do my job and patrol."

I stalk off towards the backdoor and slam it behind me. I count to ten before I take off and walk the perimeter.

* * *

"What do I owe the pleasure?" Abe asks in a bored tone.

"I'm here for Rose," I reply.

"What does she mean to you?" he asks coolly.

Adrian interrupts what I'm about to say, "We need her back for the trial."

"Oh yes and how is that going? Did they get any evidence against our dear Queen?"

"Enough," Adrian said through his teeth.

"Why did you request Rose?" I ask.

Abe turns his eyes from Adrian back to me.

"Why are you talking?" he asks.

Adrian puts his arm out to stop me.

Janine starts forward, "Rose and him are involved."

I didn't expect his reaction. His eyes bulged and rage ran through his face. "Please tell me you are referring to the Ivashkov."

"No," Janine says simply.

His eyes lock on mine, "You have a relationship with my daughter?"

"Rose is your daughter?" I ask keeping my voice calm and level.

In a flash Zmey launches at me and pins me against the wall. I could have easily avoided him but I wanted to see what he said.

"If you harm a hair on her head I will make sure it is the last thing you do."

I push him away easily, "You are the only one who can hurt her," I say glaring at him.

"Hold it," Adrian says moving to stand between us.

"This isn't what we came here for Dimitri," he points out.

"Are you sure?" Abe asks standing up straight.

My temper flares and I walk to the door, "I'll go find Rose."

Adrian calls after me but I slam the door on his words.

******

* * *

**

I walked around the property, or actually stomped. I couldn't believe what was happening.

Abe was my dad.

I shuddered. I couldn't even wrap my mind around that.

Now to complicate matters Dimitri _and_ Adrian were here.

If things were messed up before they were completely screwed now.

"Rose," a voice calls from behind me.

I turn and see Dimitri standing by the outcropping of rocks Slone and I had been sitting on earlier.

I huff and walk over to him.

"He's your father," is the first thing Dimitri says.

I look away from him and shift my weight. "Apparently."

"You didn't know?" he asks.

I look at him incredulously. I couldn't even form a sentence.

When he kept staring at me words finally bubbled over the surface, "I cannot believe you just asked me that! You know perfectly well that I had no clue as to who my dad was. Why are you making such a big deal out of this?"

He pushes away from the rock, "Do you know who he is? What he does?"

"I've got an idea but why does it matter to you?"

"It just does."

I feel my jaw drop again, "Why?"

He looks away from me, "Roza it is difficult to explain."

"Try me," I say glowering at him.

**Hmmm wonder what's going to happen...was anyone surprised at what happened? I kind of was and I was the one writing it...I don't think that's a good thing...**

**Anyways if any of you are fans of my Blood and Chocolate stories I have good news. Moonlight is back up and running. Of course I accidentally deleted the story completely so it really is new! The brand new chapter one is up and I hope you all enjoy it.**

**Back to VA, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it was extremely hard to write for some reason or other. So thanks for reading guys, review!**

**Oh and Jealousy by Lili St. Crow comes out tomorrow...or actually today! So if I don't update it's because of that!**

**Thanks again everyone,**

**~Kaiai**


	44. Chapter 43

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead but I am KAIAI so I don't own anything from her books just the stuff I make up. As in me KAIAI.**

**Okay yeah I know but seriously the world was completely agaisnst me. I mean I had to work six days in a row, then when I started this chapter the power went off and I lost everything. That happened twice. I think it was what I was going to do, but now I have this chapter. Oh man you have no clue as to how much I love this chapter. I actually went back and read over Vampire Academy to find a specific part. It took me forever and I feel like an idiot because what I was looking for was on page 8. I found it about an hour later after I read basically the entire book. Anyways I'm just going to tell you now you're going to be confused, just wait till the end then you can hate me.**

**Hehehehe I'm so evil but I love this chapter so much! And I already know I'm going to have a ton of angry people waiting on the next chapter. :D**

43

I was sitting at the bar reading the newspaper. Nothing exciting was happening in the news today. I folded it back and tossed it away.

I spun around and looked at the living room. It was a complete mess as usual. Stuff thrown around and strewn over the rug, I shook my head and started cleaning up.

Glancing at the clock showed me that it was half past five. He would be here any moment.

The phone rang and I hurried to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Hey Rose," Lissa said distracted on her end.

"So what's happening?" I ask twirling the phone cord around my fingers.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing, everything is so frustrating that I'm about to scream."

"Lissa."

"Oh I know I know you can feel my 'feelings' or whatever. Sorry it's just this is making me crazy. I just wish it was over."

I chuckle as her frustration flips and twists. "Hopefully it will be over soon."

"Well it needs to hurry."

"I agree," I say peering out the kitchen window. I had thought I heard a car door.

"When are you coming?" she asks. I hear some noise from her end put ignore it.

"As soon as everything calms down here I guess," I say slumping down into a living room chair.

"Well I really hope that's soon."

The front door jingles as keys enter the lock.

"Hey Liss, I gotta go he's back," I say getting anxious.

"Okay call me back please!" she pleads.

"Bye," I say slamming my thumb down on the end key.

I jump to my feet and almost skip with anticipation to the hall.

The door swings open, "About time," I say.

"Not my fault," he says.

I glare at him and he holds my gaze.

"So what happened?" I ask nonchalantly.

"What do you think happened?"

"I have a guess," we say moving into the living room.

"Well you'd probably be right. There were six complaints today and one fight."

"Only one fight?" I ask amazed.

"Just one," he says taking off his gloves. He flexes his fingers.

"The temp drop again?" I ask taking in his flushed face.

"About eight degrees," he says leaning back against the couch.

I pull my legs up on to the couch, "When are they getting back?"

"They should be here any minute," he says glancing towards the big bay window. The sun is starting to peek out from behind the clouds.

"Well so what should we do?" I ask.

"What can we do?"

I consider for a minute and that's when we hear the door open again and all the noise.

"He was at fault. He deserved much more than what I gave him."

"He didn't deserve anything."

"Did too."

"If you don't stop then everything we just got is going back."

"Fine."

The entire argument ended in the hall and the group trudged around the corner.

Three new figures are standing in the living room. My mother with her fiery red hair tucked under a knit cap, looked so short next to the dark haired woman next to her. And the one in the middle didn't count considering she was only five.

"I was wondering when you would get back," I say looking at the three accusingly.

They were completely laden down with shopping bags.

"Oh well Alina needed a few things and so did we," my mother says putting her armful down.

Dimtri raises his eyebrow. It still kills me when he does that.

"No words from you Dimka," chastises his mother. "We never get to spoil our granddaughter so plan on it whenever we visit."

I elbow him in the ribs and get up and grab my little Alina Vasilisa Belikov.

"I heard you were in a fight today," I say slinging her on my hip.

"He deserved it," she said scowling. It was scary how much she looked like me. Her hair was dark brown, almost black, and her eyes were all Dimitri. She was tall for her age and had just as much attitude I had when I was that young.

Dimitri got up and twisted a strand of her hair between his fingers, "Alina we've talked about this," he said softly and serious.

Her eyes went wide like they always did when Dimitri spoke in what he called 'stern' voice.

She struggled and I let her down. "I'm sorry daddy, I'll try and behave," she said sweetly.

Dimtri and I both exchanged a knowing glance. Alina was like me in almost every way. She was constantly getting into fights at school and yelling at her teachers.

"Go get ready for dinner," I say pushing her towards the bathroom.

My mom and mother-in-law both hustle towards the kitchen getting everything we cooked earlier ready to eat.

Dimitri and I set the table and took our seats beside each other. He smiled at me, "I ordered the tickets."

My eyes widened, "What? When?"

"Earlier today."

"So I guess you got time off?"

"Yes but only for the week. I'll have to be back."

Alina flew out of the bathroom and scrambled into her chair. "So do we get to go to America now?" she asked with her lilting accent. She looked up from across the table with her big brown eyes it was hard to resist her.

"Yes we're going," I say rolling my eyes. She copies me perfectly and I bite my lip and turn to Dimitri. His eyes are closed as he mutters something in Russian.

"Okay, okay," Janine says putting the last dish on the table. Janine takes her seat as does (as Alina so quaintly calls her) Nana Bel, "we can eat now."

We pass the dishes around as Dimitri talks about our trip.

After everyone has their first helping I coax Alina into telling us what happened.

She stabs her fork into her mashed potatoes, "Well he started it."

"Started what?" I ask taking a sip of my water.

"Well we were in the library because we were supposed to be getting books. I was looking at a book when he came out of nowhere and snatched it the end."

Dimitri set his fork down, "Alina tell her what happened after that."

Alina looked down into her plate and in a fast mumble told the rest, "So I yelled at him and he held the book out and taunted me so I grabbed it and kicked him into the bookshelf and well he got up and I punched him in the face."

Everyone stopped eating and stared at her.

I blew a piece of hair out of my eyes and leaned back in my chair.

"Well I see."

Everyone burst into laughter.

Janine was wiping a tear from her eye, "I remember when I got those kinds of calls from the Academy. The most memorable was something about you telling off your teacher for making you spell your name. What was it you called her?" My mother asked with a smirk.

I remembered that moment fondly, "I called her a fascist bastard and chucked a book at her."

Everyone laughed again and when I caught my breath I looked pointedly at Alina, "If you ever say those words I will personally punish you."

Her eyes widened and she nodded. She mumbled something under her breath but I let it go for now.

We talked about old school memories, guardian tales, and family times.

Alina filled us in with some other tales from school while I mentally compared them to my own memories.

She told us all about her friend Alek who was a dhampir too and was completely on the track to being a Guardian when she grew up.

When the kitchen was clean and bedtime rolled around it was a lot easier than usual to get Alina to stay in her room. Usually she made up all sorts of excuses, she needed a drink, she had to go to the bathroom or she had a question.

Dimitri and I fell into bed after our mothers had both left. I closed my eyes and snuggled into Dimitri. He wrapped his arm around me.

"Are you sure you want to move back?" I ask.

He squeezed me closer. "Not particularly but a reassignment is what it is."

I rolled over to face him, "You can always turn it down."

He raised his eyebrow and I moved my hands over them and held them in place, "Stop doing that."

He laughed and jerked his head out of my grip. "Why would I turn down a position on Lissa's guard? This is what we've wanted for awhile now. We'll both get to go back and you were offered the position at St. Vladimir's alongside her. This has been your dream and mine for years, ever since Alina was born."

I huff, "I know, I know but you love Siberia, and I can't believe I'm saying this but I love it too. Your family is here my mother is here for awhile, it's perfect here too."

He kisses my forehead, "It will be okay Roza, and I love the fact you like it here after all of your complaining."

I roll my eyes, "But what about Alina? She's made friends here."

"And she can make friends in Montana too and still keep her friends here. It's not like we aren't ever coming back."

I sigh, "Fine I'm done arguing for tonight."

"Good," he says kissing me again.

I kiss him back and run my hands through his hair. It's gotten longer, just like mine.

In a movement I didn't even register, he was hovering over me his nose just an inch above mine.

"Roza," he mutters, it sounds like he's farther away.

I'm stuck where I am, looking up into his beautiful dark eyes.

"Roza," he repeats.

In an instant everything that happened today rolls across my vision, picking the toys up in the living room that my daughter had left laying around. Setting the table and listening to stories my daughter had to tell. Tucking my daughter into bed and telling her to stay there. Talking to my mom and my mother-in-law about transferring Alina to St. Vlads, the teaching job I had been offered because of my all around badassness.

That's when I realize I'm not in my house in Siberia. I'm lying on my back in the grass. Pain radiates from three points in my chest.

Everything snaps back into place.

Dimitri's face looms above me, "Hold on Roza."

None of it was real.

None of it was real.

None of it was real.

"Roza I don't know what you're saying," he says. I hadn't realized I spoke aloud. I didn't remember how to speak.

More images flipped and twisted through my mind. I wanted to puke but by some miracle I didn't.

I remembered talking to Dimitri by the rocks. I remembered him start telling me about Abe.

Abe who was my dad.

"Hold on," he says putting his arms under me and pulling me up.

I spasm in pain and I feel myself screaming but I can't stop it. It feels like I'm being stabbed over and over by molten knives.

My vision goes black and I feel a tug.

I feel Dimitri moving as he carries me.

I feel a tug.

But not from him.

**:D I told you! So let's see what y'all have to say? I expect a lot of questions and rants and I can't wait to read them! What did y'all think of this little twist? Did anyone suspect something like this? Can anyone guess what's happened?**

**Thanks for reading guys. Review!**


	45. Chapter 44

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead, I'm KAIAI, so I don't own anything from her books, just the stuff I make up.**

**Hey sorry it took me so long. I'm attempting to pack and do laundry, not working out too well. Anyways this chapter kind of clears a few things up and I think a few things are going to surprise you...**

44

Pain like I've never imagined ran through me like Usain Bolt. I mean I've been in pain before but this, this was unbearable. I kept waiting for the blackness to suck me down but Dimitri kept shaking me back. And with every move it was more pain on top of the pain that wouldn't let up.

I had no idea what was happening. I didn't remember anything happening to me that could cause this.

Dimitri brought me back to the house kicking down the door in the process. I heard someone shout and then I felt a cool hand press to my cheek.

"What happened?" three people asked in unison.

Dimitri shifted beneath me as he laid me down on what felt like a table.

"I don't know," he said before a long string of Russian.

"What do you mean _you don't know_? You were with her!" a voice I recognize as Abe screeches.

"She just collapsed," Dimitri says. I can feel his hand brushing the hair from my face but I can't bring myself to speak.

"Move over," Adrian says. I can imagine him pushing Dimitri's hand away.

He wipes something wet from my cheek, a tear maybe.

"This is not good."

"Is that blood?" another voice asks.

I feel someone's breath on my cheek, "Little dhampir what has happened?"

I feel my temperature rise and then turn to ice.

The pain started to ebb.

"I think it's working," Adrian's strained voice says beside my ear.

So of course, me being who I am with the luck I have.

Pain ran down my spine and my eyes shot open.

I didn't have time to register any of the blurry images through my red tinted vision before I saw the crisp translucent ones. It was like everything around me was blurred but them.

I didn't recognize them, but they recognized me.

"Don't belong," was all they said.

Every time they spoke the pain got worse. They moved closer to me but I couldn't make out their faces.

_No one hides  
__No one wins  
__All come to us in the end_

_We are death  
__In the flesh_

_You were taken  
__We let go  
__For you to be  
__Our secret knight_

_Now one calls  
__From our home  
__For you to come_

_So we call  
__For you to come_

_We are death  
__We freed you  
__You are ours_

I watched as the ghostly figures drew closer, the pain worsened and I felt tears threaten to spill. I didn't realize I was freezing before a warm hand grasped my arm.

My eyes darted towards it. Adrian's wide eyes met mine. I knew from his expression he could sense them.

"Don't," he said gripping my arm.

It didn't matter. The pale figures moved in right beside me and I felt Adrian forced away. I heard him grunt and some other noises of protest and disbelief.

There were five of them. The one in the middle raised his hand, I was assuming it was a guy, and put his finger to the center of my forehead.

The pain I'd felt before had nothing on this.

It was if he was sucking out my soul. My eyes went wide with panic and I felt a scream leave me.

Then I was gone.

* * *

"Move over," I say brushing Dimitri's hand aside. He had laid Rose down the table in the dining room.

Rose was paler than I had ever seen her. She looked like she was about to bite through her lip.

Her eyes….

"This isn't good," I say wiping the blood away from the corner of her eye.

"Is that blood," Eddie asks.

I lean down so I can whisper to her, "Little dhampir what has happened?"

I close my eyes and take a breath and try to concentrate like Lissa.

I press my hand to her forehead.

I feel the pain inside her and it almost makes me fall. I feel it start to budge.

"I think its working."

I have never been more wrong in my life.

I fell to my knees, my hand sliding from Rose to her wrist now hanging over the side of the table. So much pain, I could feel it running through her, I could feel everything.

Then I heard the whispers.

I strained to turn my head. Someone's hand was on my shoulder.

"No," I whispered trying to get them to leave me alone.

I couldn't see what was happening. I could just hear the whispers.

"Don't belong, don't belong."

Shadows flickered through my vision as I struggled to stand I saw her aura flare. It was like a storm cloud that was trying to swallow everything.

That's when the song poured through me.

It was like ice poured through me with the voices of death.

_No one hides  
__No one wins  
__All come to us in the end_

_We are death  
__In the flesh_

_You were taken  
__We let go  
__For you to be  
__Our secret knight_

_Now one calls  
__From our home  
__For you to come_

_So we call  
__For you to come_

_We are death  
__We freed you  
__You are ours_

I gripped Rose's arm and she slowly turned towards me.

"Don't," I said panic stricken.

A flicker in my peripheral told me whatever was here was moving closer.

An invisible force struck me so hard I almost blacked out. I could smell the burning and a pain I couldn't place.

I felt myself flying through the air and then I hit the wall with such force the paintings fell off on top of me.

I opened my eyes just in time to see Rose's eyes widen in terror and her spirit get sucked from her body.

* * *

I didn't know what was happening but whatever it was it hurt.

I had been sitting, anxiously awaiting a phone call, in the living room with Christian when it happened.

Searing pain hit me so hard my eyes instantly watered.

"Lissa what's wrong?"

It was gone before I could answer.

"Lissa?"

"I'm fine, that was just weird," I say rubbing my forehead.

"You're okay now though," he asks rubbing my back.

"Yeah I think so."

"Maybe you should call them?"

I bit my lip and stared at my phone remembering the last time I called.

I picked up the phone and pressed the 2 button for Rose.

It rang five times before anyone answered.

"Are you okay?" a voice asks. It took me a minute before I realized it was Rose's mom.

"Um yeah, what's going on?"

"I can't answer that right now. What's happening there?"

Just as I was about to answer our front door flew open and Guardian's flooded the room.

I dropped the phone and both Christian and I got to our feet.

"Princess Dragomir for your protection we need you to come with us, Lord Ozera you as well."

"Lord? Since when does anyone refer to me as 'Lord'?" Christian snaps in his usual tone.

I interrupt before he can make anymore comments, "Why, what's happened?"

My personal Guardian's were now standing on either side, while Christian stood behind me.

"The entire society has been compromised. The Queen and many more have been murdered."

Blood drained from my face.

"How is that possible, she's supposed to be in custody," I say trembling.

"She was being interrogated. We have no time. We need to get you to a secure area."

"What's wrong with here?" Christian asks with a hand on my shoulder.

The Guardian who seemed to be in charge gave him a hard look. "We need to get the princess to a secure location because she is in danger. She is next in line for the throne."

I didn't fully understand the meaning of his words till I was walking with my Guardians.

Next in line.

"Oh God."

**So yeah...well hmm...what do y'all think of that little twist? I personally don't even know what I think and I wrote it. Hehehe just you wait, things are going to get veeerrry interesting.**

**Thanks for reading, review! I'm almost to 500 reviews, just a two more!**

**(Oh and I'm watching White Collar and every time I look at Neal I see Adrian, sorry hehe)**


	46. Chapter 45

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything from her books. I am Kaiai so I do own the stuff I make up.**

**Okay so here is chapter forty-five I think you're going to enjoy this! Haha yeah and I know, about time.**

45

Utter stillness, barely a whisper of a breath. Everyone stood in stunned silence as they gazed on the pale figure still lying on the table.

I stood there, staring at my daughter, petrified to move towards her and confirm my fears.

Adrian, who had been thrown into a wall by an invisible force, was pushing picture frames aside as he stood up, a far off look caught in his eyes.

Belikov was as unmoving as the others, his face frozen in a show of disbelief. Adrian took a step forward and ended up by her side. His eyes traveled over Rose, her pale skin, her plain dark brown hair, her big brown eyes unblinkingly staring in relaxed horror off into the unknown.

Adrian takes her wrist and with a pained cry shudders. He shakily takes Rose's hand and lays it gently beside her as he reaches up and closes her eyes.

He turns and stares off, maybe into the same unknown as Rose, and says only two words before he stumbles away.

"She's gone."

I heard his words but I couldn't understand. Abe came up beside me and took my hand, his was ice in mine. His face was stricken and drained of the tan he usually flaunted.

My gaze caught Guardian Castille, he was just as confused as the rest of us, he slid down the wall to sit on the floor, keeping his gaze away from the table.

Belikov was still standing there, staring, all emotion wiped from his face. It was if he was a statue.

* * *

No pain that was the first thing that registered. Not even a shadow of what I had felt. I opened my eyes to a place I had never been, but a place that felt familiar.

"Greetings Dealer," a wispy voice says making me jump.

I turn to see five…things…people…men? They were standing in a group before a huge stone archway riddled with runes. They were all dressed in silver hooded robes. Four of them had their hoods up, shielding their faces. The fifth, the one in the middle had his hood down, showing a man with gray hair and eyes, shadowed eyes.

"Um Greetings…you?" I said hesitantly.

"We are death," the one in the middle said as if I should have known this already.

"Oh, well, I'm Rose," I say stupidly.

The one in the middle narrows his eyes, "We are aware."

When they didn't say anything else I prodded, "So are all of your names Death?"

Middle guy tilted his head. He held his arm, motioning to the guy on his far left, his robe sleeve flowing all the way to the dirt under his feet.

"This is Hunger, then Thirst," he said naming the two on his left. He then turned to the ones on his right, "Murder and Pestilence."

"And you?" I asked completely freaked.

His lips turned into a sarcastic smile.

"Life."

Thunder and lightning sounded and flashed with the sound of his name.

Well not really, but it seemed like a cliché that would have been perfectly at home in this moment.

"Well that's ironic," I mutter.

He barred his teeth, "No because Life and Death are the same."

"How do you figure?"

"Because, after life has run its course death takes that life allowing life to take form elsewhere thus starting the cycle that never ends. Without Life there is no Death, and without Death no Life and Nothing is left."

His words spun in my head as I tried to make sense of what he was saying. I gave up.

"Didn't you say someone called me?"

"Yes," they all said in unison.

Creepy.

"So where is this 'caller' then?" I ask.

With fluid motion they all point to a single tree growing in the middle of a dead field. That's when I notice the grass, it's all brittle and brown but where the five stands nothing grows.

I hightail it to the tree.

I walk all around it in search of the "caller" but come up with nothing.

"I believe you are looking for me."

I turn on my heel, my eyes bulge as I see who called.

"Tatiana?"

"Yes Rose."

"You're dead?"

"Unfortunately, your friend Murder came and got me a few hours ago."

"Murder? Who killed you?"

Tatiana sighed and looked up into the leaves of the cherry tree growing as healthy as anything could in this realm of death.

"Tatiana, what happened?" I ask putting my hand on her shoulder.

She looks at me. "Rose I do not know. The last thing I can remember about my life is the day I visited the Academy when you and Vasilisa returned. After that it's just ribbons, little slivers of memory that are to blurry to be anything of help."

"What?" I ask bewildered.

She shrugs, "Nothing can be done with it now."

This new somber Tatiana threw me off guard, "What? Of course something can be done. I can find out who killed you, what happened."

She looked at me with confusion marring her brow, "But Rose, how would you manage that, you're dead."

"No I'm not, I'm just here for a little while…" I stopped at her gaze, her sympathetic gaze.

"I'm not…" Tatiana looks away, up into the branches of the cherry tree.

I hold my hand up and freeze.

I'm dead.

Turning fiercely on my heel I stalk back to the Deaths.

"What the hell have you done to me!"

Life glances at his fellows, "We have done nothing to you but was already done. You belong to us. You served your purpose so now you are returned to where you were stolen."

"What? You let me go! You said it in your psycho song!"

"We let you become a Dealer because you were useful, you've done the deed the souls wanted you to complete. The girl was saved now enjoy your afterlife."

They turned with a swish of their cloaks and walked to the archway.

"But I never had a life! I can't have an afterlife!" I shout after them.

Murder is the only to turn away. The cloaked figure breaks away and strides toward me, his hood falling away.

My eyes bug as I stare at myself. But it's not me, not really. This version is younger and not whole, she's in tremendous pain.

Cuts and scrapes, blood runs freely, bones look broken as I stand there staring up at me.

Then with a blink of an eye Murder transforms into almost exact copy of Life except for the gray hair is black as coal.

"I am Murder, I was the one that came for you that night of the accident."

"But I wasn't murdered," I whisper.

He shrugs, "Murder is just a summary. I am the one who takes the souls of those who die tragically. And you my dear were taken from me. I've waited so long," he says reaching out with long pale fingers to caress my cheek, "for you to return."

I jerk my head away from his polar touch. "I can't die! Lissa still needs me, if someone murdered the Queen then someone will be after her!"

He looks at me with no emotion. "The job you were given is finished you are ours once more."

I shake my head frantically, "No just let me go, please."

Murder retreats back to his brothers.

"Please," I beg.

Life turns, "We did."

Then they disappear through the arch leaving me with the sudden urge to follow.

My legs carry me towards the arch. Through the arch I can see the most beautiful house surrounded by feet of snow. I stop there with my hands braced on the sides of the stone.

The door opens and a little girl with dark hair runs out followed by her father. She throws herself into the snow with a burst of giggles as she begins to make a snow angel.

My breath catches in my throat as I watch the scene, so like the dream I had of me and Dimitri, of our daughter.

_Something you'd always wished for. Always wanted but knew was out of your reach. A child between you and your love, a perfect combination of you and him. A life with everything you've ever dreamed. Heaven._

Whispers goaded me forward. I felt myself take a step closer. One step closer to paradise, to Alina and Dimitri.

It was mouthwateringly close, right in my grasp.

_Go._

_Go._

_Go to him._

_Go to your daughter._

_Be happy._

_Go._

The girl turned her head towards me.

"Mom!" she says with a huge smile and a wave.

I feel my lips curl into a smile.

"Come on mom!" she says urging me to come play in the snow.

I go to take another step when I'm thrust back. I grip my chest, it feels like someone is jumping up and down on my chest. Another pound and I crumble to the ground.

I hear angry whispers all around me and swirls of colors as the pounding continues.

**Soooooooooooo yeah. Hehe review and tell me what y'all think. I hope it was good enough!**

**Thanks for reading, review!**


	47. Chapter 46

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything from her books but I am Kaiai so I own the things I make up.**

**Okay here is the next chapter, enjoy!**

46

"You. Are. Not. Dying. Again." Dimitri says furiously as he pounds on her chest.

I want to tell him to stop, that he's wasting his time. Her soul is gone, snatched back by Death itself, the body lying there is just an empty shell, a hollowed out form of someone we loved.

"She's not gone, she's still there, her heart is beating," he says with his ear against her chest. "She's not gone," he repeats as he continues to beat on her chest, forcing a cold heart to beat.

"Adrian you can help her," he growls.

I get shakily to my feet and go over to the table where the girl I met at the ski lodge lies. Everything about her is Rose, not a trace of the Shadowland is left.

"Help me," Dimitri asks, pleads again.

I raise my hands to either side of her face, "Come on little dhampir, come back," I whisper as I shut my eyes.

* * *

"I believe you're supposed to go through the arch, not just lay in front of it."

I peer through my lashes to see Tatiana, looking down at me.

"You go through it," I throw at her.

She looks longingly at the arch. "I can't. It won't let me."

She presses her hand against the stone, "I'm can't go until I know what happened to me."

I listen as the pounding in my chest continues. Making me wince as ever pound brings more pain than the first.

"You know I asked them to call you because I just had a feeling you had something to do with this. But now I just want answers, what happened?" she asks leaning down to stare at me. She grasps my shoulder to keep me looking at her.

"I don't know what happened to you!" I say jerking away and back.

I scramble back until I'm out of her reach and away from the arch.

"I really don't know anything other than you and Viktor were in cahoots."

That made her pause in her pursuit, "Me and Viktor? Viktor's in prison, I have nothing to do with him."

I narrow my eyes, "Actually he's dead, murdered by a Strigoi named Zacharie. You and Viktor had Lissa kidnapped."

It took her awhile before she could answer. She sat down in the grass in front of me. "I don't understand, why would I have anything to do with Dashkov, why would I want to kidnap Vasilisa? Rose please explain."

So I did. I told her everything that happened, every detail. She listened with her eyes trained on the cherry tree.

The pounding in my chest never gave up and caused me to stop every once in awhile.

When she asked questions I tried to answer them.

All in all our little chat boiled down into Viktor's scheme.

But not over who murdered her.

"Lissa is now in line for the throne," the Queen muses.

"But isn't there supposed to be a vote and some tests or something before someone is 'in line' she's not just going to be elected and crowned."

"Oh no, she'll have to go through the entire election process if she's voted in but I have no doubt about her becoming Queen. People want change and Lissa is the biggest change they're going to get."

I heard her but I couldn't say anything. Now the pounding was morphing into bursts of hot and cold spreading from my head to my toes.

The Queen looked at me but past her I could see the five, standing watching me from the arch.

They were talking, shaking their heads.

**

* * *

**

"Trouble," whispered Hunger.

"Obnoxious," breathed Thirst.

"Hassle," hissed Life.

"Dealer," Pestilence pointed out.

"Future," Murder said looking straight at her.

"Let her go and we don't have to deal with her until we have to," Thirst said at Life's ear. "Then you can take her and have her soul on your watch and we can continue in peace."

"You speak as if you had to suffer her soul," Murder chimes in.

"We all suffered her soul, and I personally would only like to endure it when necessary," Pestilence says looking at her with dismay. "She's too strong willed to be taken quietly."

"We have to fix this. Time has been changed, ripped."

"And we shall," Life says taking a coin from beneath his robes. He catches the girl's eye as he flips the coin.

"And so time shall move forward then back with a flip of a coin. The dead shall rise with love only to have a dance with fate to see if the choices made secondly will prove the first void."

He caught the coin in the palm of his hand. He flipped it to his wrist and peered at the future of choice.

He glanced back at the girl and hid the scry coin back under his robes.

"We shall wait and see my brothers."

* * *

I won't let you die Roza.

Not again, you told me once you would kill me for telling you that I was wrong for you. I was wrong when I said that every time and I knew it. I was just trying to give you the choice if you wanted it.

I continued to pump her heart as Adrian worked his magic.

I couldn't help my thoughts from returning to every fight Rose and I ever had. But the main fight always returning was the cabin.

A hand rested on my shoulder, "Please, let her be, she's gone."

Janine's voice was pained but free of tears.

"I can't, she's not."

"She's not," Adrian whispered. "She walks with ghosts in this realm but there she is the ghost. Death took her with a finished mission but her soul calls out to loudly for their deaf ears. Causing them to change but change of what?"

Rose had mentioned something about how Adrian's spirit power would cause him to rant.

But if he spoke of her coming back, he could rant all he wanted.

**Well, so...yeah. Hehe what do you think of that little twist? Personally I like the Five Deaths. I think they're quite interesting.**

**So thanks for reading. Review!**


	48. Chapter 47

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything from her books, just the stuff I make up.**

**Okay here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy!**

47

I could feel the Queen standing over me but honestly I couldn't give a rats ass.

My blood was fire as it pounded through my veins. It snaked its way making my cold skin burn with flame.

I closed my eyes and willed the pain away but that just caused me to feel the pain more.

Then I was gone.

* * *

It only took one last try to snatch her.

Snatch her soul back from Death.

When I finally felt her I yanked her back as Dimitri threw his hands back.

A silver light spread from beneath my hands and went to her, filling her with it, healing her of deaths cold tendrils.

I felt her skin warm beneath my touch and color returned to her pale skin, turning a beautiful tan.

And then the light went out and her eyes flew open as she sat up causing Janine to make a surprised yelp.

Dimitri just stood there wide eyed as Rose turned to me.

"Did you do this?"

I was too drained to answer so I figured me falling over would confirm her suspicion.

Dimitri didn't let me hit the floor. He grabbed my arm and lowered me to the floor.

I rested my head against the wall, "Hey little dhampir," I mouthed more than whispered.

She swung her legs over the edge and looked at me.

"You're drained."

I nodded.

"What have you done?" she asked dropping to her feet and landing in front of me.

She grabbed my chin so she could look me in the eyes. "Adrian!"

I looked into her brown eyes and her aura burst out around her.

It was a sharp violet with black edges, so different then it had ever been before. And that's when I saw it.

The link.

"Shit."

"My thoughts exactly," she said right as I passed out.

**

* * *

**

"It's gone, it's gone," I say closing my eyes trying to find it, but only finding something else in its place.

Someone leans down beside me but I keep my eyes closed.

"Roza," he whispers. I feel his hand rest on my knee. "What's gone?"

"The bond, the bond, it's gone."

"Your bond with Lissa?" he asks in that irritatingly calm voice.

"Yes, I can't feel her, all I can feel is him!"

* * *

Her words hit me slowly and when I managed to find the right words, "Him? You're bonded with Adrian?"

No, it couldn't be.

"How?"

She turned her head towards me, a glare fixed on her face.

"Does it look like I know? I was a bit busy having my chest pounded on to pay attention to the details."

"You were dead, really dead this time," I said staring into her brown eyes. Every trace of violet gone, even her hair was free of it. She looked just like she did the day I found her.

She looked back, "Yeah," a puzzled look crossed her face. "Do you know anything about the Five Deaths?"

"The five deaths?" I ask perplexed.

"Never mind," she says looking back at a stirring Adrian.

"I would kill you if I didn't owe you," she said.

"Hello to you too little dhampir, nice to see you living."

"You saw them, did they say anything to you?" she asked.

Adrian glanced at me. "I saw them yes, they sang a song, _we are death, we freed you, you are ours,_" he said in sing song.

"Adrian please concentrate," she said. "Did they say anything else?"

He rubbed his head, "No, they sucked you dry and disappeared leaving you cold and dead."

She grimaced and grabbed Adrian's arm and hauled him to his feet.

"Watch it Rosey, I'm expensive."

"Shut up, I can hear your thoughts now," she said bringing him to the couch.

That's when I noticed that Zmey and Janine were still standing looking at Rose amazed.

She noticed too, "Leave the questions for later," she said depositing Adrian. "What did they do with Ambrose after they took him from Adrian's?" she asked.

I looked at her, "They took him into custody, he should be in the Court's jail."

"Well I think he got out, the Queen was murdered."

That got Janine out of her trance.

She got Rose to tell her story. I knew she was keeping things out, she never mentioned the five deaths and I know from the look she gave me, they were important players in whatever happened.

**

* * *

**

I was sitting in a room in safe house with Christian. We had just got the names of those who were killed.

The Queen, Priscilla Voda, and their Guardians.

And they were murdered by Ambrose, who turned Strigoi.

The other Guardians had staked him before he could do anything else but the way they described it made it sound like he was trying to kill himself too.

I wanted desperately to call Rose but I didn't have my phone, the Guardians had taken it for my 'safety.'

"What do you think made him turn?" Christian asked. From the look on his face I knew he was thinking about his Aunt Tasha who turned not so long ago.

"I think he was crazy."

"Was Tasha crazy too?" he asked.

I closed my eyes and then turned to him, "Christian, I don't know. Dimitri said someone turned her. She would never had chosen that. She loved you," I say taking his hand. "She really did, I could feel it."

He slid his hand from mine and got up.

"Do you love me?" he asked, his back turned.

"Christian," I say standing up. I want so badly just too just take away his pain.

"Just answer," he snaps.

"Yes. I love you Christian. And because I love you I know that no matter what," I say pressing my hand to his back, "no matter what, I will love you through anything."

He turns and I'm in his arms, and everything is okay.

**...so...anyone mad? Anyone? If so, review and tell me about it. Oh and I'd like to know what you all think is going to happen with the whole Five Death's little coin toss prohpecy. Because there's only three chapters left...and then...the end. So review because I wanna know before I start the next chapter!**

**Thanks for reading! Review please!**


	49. Chapter 48

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything from her books. I do own the stuff I make up.**

**Okay here's the next one! Hope you enjoy!**

48

We were on a plane. I was pissed beyond pissed.

Everything was gone, changed, torn.

All of my Dealer powers were stripped, my mark gone, my hilt gone.

My bond with Lissa gone, replaced with a bond with Adrian. He was asleep two seats from me and was constantly pulling me into his dreams, these dreams however he didn't see me. He could sense me though, that much I could tell.

"Little dhampir I know you're there. I can feel you," he says tapping the side of his head.

The dream dissolved and when I turned towards him he was looking at me with tired eyes. "Is this how it's going to be? You, sneaking into my dreams my head?"

"Your fault," I point out.

"Oh yes, all my fault. I guess I should have just let you stay dead."

My nostrils flare, "Shut up."

"You know I actually think the bond between you and Lissa died with you. I don't think I replaced it."

"Well it's gone, now you're here so I think that's still replaced."

"Well if you had just come back on your own I'm sure you'd find the bond still gone."

"How'd you do it Adrian?" I ask looking at the seat in front of me. "You've never been particularly good with healing."

"Was Lissa a good healer when she brought you back from the accident? I think it's just a thing."

"A thing? That's a nice way to sum it up."

"Do you have anything better?"

I didn't answer.

"My thoughts exactly," he said imitating me from earlier.

"Asshole."

"I might be," he says with a snarky smile, "but I'm your asshole."

* * *

Something was changing. I could feel it in the air. I looked at the cards lying in front of me, it was there.

I just couldn't decipher the meaning.

I watched as they changed, sliding by themselves as they rewrote.

A rip.

A change.

Restarting something.

And even as I started deciphering I was forgetting.

Forgetting time.

**

* * *

**

Everything ends where it begins. That much I knew. The rest I was going on hunch. Something about a coin kept flashing in my memory but I couldn't place it.

Something about choices.

And a chance.

* * *

If I had my powers and my bond I could have been by Lissa's side instantly. Instead I had Adrian and a plane that was taking its sweet time.

Hours later Dimitri and I exited the plane side by side, Adrian in front of us and my mother in front of him.

Abe was left in Ireland with a bad temper.

The Guardian's greeted us when we hit the pavement.

They informed us of every detail. That Ambrose was the one behind the Queen's murder.

I hope she heard that in the Shadowland. Must suck that her lover boy was the one to do her in, no pun intended.

Still I sort of got a kick out of it, even though I knew the Queen probably hadn't been in her right mind when she was committing all the atrocities against me.

With a lot of arguing Dimitri got us in to inspect the body.

Tatiana was laid out on a table, creepily enough it reminded me of my earlier time on a table. Ambrose had done a number on her.

Gently I felt around her neck for a chain. And just like that a jeweled necklace appeared, dried blood clinging to the stones.

I unclasped it and handed it to Dimitri who in turn put them in a plastic bag. Then I took her rings and the two bracelets she wore.

Then we went to Adrian.

He looked curiously at the items when I handed the bag to him.

"Can you tell if any of these is enchanted?"

He narrowed his eyes and opened it.

"Oh yes, something here is." He rifted through it and took out the necklace. "Here you go, there's Earth magic all over it."

I looked at Dimitri and I knew he remembered.

"Thanks," I say taking it.

That's when we get questioned once again.

And that's when things started to blur.

**

* * *

**

"Adrian!" I shout in joy as he peers into our room.

"Oh good," he says with little enthusiasm.

"Well I'm glad you're so thrilled to see us. I mean for me I'm completely ecstatic you're here. Seriously, I'm jumping for joy," Christian says from a chair in the corner.

"I just thought this room would be empty, haven't gotten much sleep."

I was getting better at reading auras and from reading his, he was hiding something.

"What's wrong," I ask.

"Nothing princess, nothing at all. Is everything okay with you? Any changes?"

"Changes?" I ask walking towards him. I snatch his wrist and yank him inside. I shut the door.

"Adrian what aren't you telling us."

He ruffled his hair, "I don't think I should be the one to tell you," he said guiltily.

"Oh my god, it's Rose. She's hurt, she's in trouble, I knew it!"

"No, no, no, she's fine. Angry, but fine."

"Why is she angry?"

"When is she not?" Christian mutters.

I glare in his direction.

"Lissa, she, I, we're…."

"Spit it out man," Christian says sitting up in his chair.

"Adrian you two didn't…you know…" I say thinking of what Dimitri could be capable of.

"Do you think I'd be alive if something like that happened?" he asked throwing his hands up.

"Good point," I say through clenched teeth.

"So what did you two do?" Christian asked with amusement.

Adrian glared at him before looking back at me.

"I bonded with her."

"That's nice, I'm sure Dimitri would love to hear about this."

"Shut up!" we both said in unison to Christian.

"Bonded?"

He rubbed his head, pushing his hair into more of a mess than before.

"Bonded bonded, you know like what you two had."

"What?" I asked, my eyes widening in disbelief.

"Wait, had?" Christian asks.

_You know like what you two had._

"That pain," I say looking at Adrian. "The bond, it's gone."

Adrian grimaced, "Afraid so."

"But how?" Christian asked from by my side. He made me jump but he just slipped his arm around my waist as I let the words sink in.

Adrian explained everything that happened.

I didn't want it to be true.

But I could feel it.

**So whatcha think? Hmm? Review and tell me!**

**Hehe thanks for reading, review!**

**Almost over now...what could happen next? Because I promise it's not going to be what you think...**


	50. Chapter 49

**Disclaimer: I'm not Richelle Mead so I don't own anything from her books (especially one of the lines I use) but I am Kaiai so I own everything that I make up.**

**Oh boy oh boy, here's the next one. Hope you guys don't get mad!**

49

When we finally got out of questioning I went in search for Lissa.

Adrian had gotten to her first.

She made me tell her everything. And I told her everything.

Everything.

She was horrified over the Five Deaths.

We spent the night discussing every detail, every meaning.

We fell asleep with details spinning in my head.

My dream was nice and free of Adrian. He ran off with Dimitri somewhere, hopefully not somewhere where Dimitri might accidentally hurt him.

The dream was familiar.

"This is no dream Dealer."

I turned on my heel. I was outside the cabin on the grounds of the Academy.

The Five Deaths stood before me.

"What do you mean this isn't a dream?"

Life walks forward, his brothers trailing back.

He lifts his hand and touches a bone cold finger to my forehead.

"Don't make us regret this."

Everything was dark.

Then I was laying back against him.

"I love you Roza." He kissed me again. "I'll always be here for you. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

His words were dangerous, he shouldn't have said them.

And this was familiar.

I sat up.

"Roza?" he asked, raising his eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

I looked around. I was in the cabin. My clothes, and interestingly enough Dimitri's were as well.

"No way," I say looking back at him.

He looked as confused as can be.

"Do you remember anything?" I ask. He sits up and leans against the wall. He pulls me forward.

"I remember every second, you are marvelous," he says kissing my neck.

I want to just lose myself but I shake my head.

"No not that Dimitri! Though it was wonderful, you're a god, but everything else do you remember anything? Me, Ireland, the murders?"

His eyes crinkle in confusion, "Rose you aren't making sense. Do you remember what happened?" he asks. "The whole thing with Ralf, Jesse and Lissa?"

Click.

"Oh shit."

Everything made sense now.

"Shit, shit, shit, get up! We have to go right now."

"What's wrong?" he says grabbing his clothes as I start pulling on my jeans.

"There's going to be an attack."

Shit.

I turn on him, "Strigoi are coming right now."

That gets him moving faster.

We burst from the cabin. Mason isn't there like last time.

Because I already know.

The battle is just as terrible as it was the first time around.

But this time, I'm prepared.

And this time when I find the blond Strigoi.

He doesn't live.

No one seems to wonder how I know about everything. But as the day goes by I find memories overlapping.

And one of the biggest things I notice.

Lissa. She's not in my head.

But thank God, Adrian isn't there either.

I don't let it distract me. Christian's there just like before. He's still the biggest advantage I had.

And when it's over, after the disaster in the caves finally ended, Dimitri corners me outside the clinic.

"Rose," he says in that all knowing voice.

"Dimitri," I say trying to push past him.

"What did you mean before, in the cabin about Ireland and murders?"

I blanched.

"Roza," he said in his _tell me_ voice.

"Can I trust you?" I ask looking up into his brown eyes, knowing the answer before he says it.

"Yes."

So I told him.

And of course that started the questions.

The never ending questions.

But this time.

We could change things.

"Explain again how you know this?" the Guardian asked me.

I glared at him. I was still locked in an interrogation room.

"I can't, I've told you."

"How did you know about the charmed objects? We found the necklace, and then a ring with the dhampir boy. We need answers."

"Well you wouldn't like my answers if I gave them."

"Try me."

So…I did.

He didn't believe me. But as long as I was right I think they were happy.

However when they went to the prison Dashkov was being held in they got a little angry.

It took me two hours to convince them I had nothing to do with it. It was irritating.

Then the fact I couldn't listen in on Lissa's thoughts.

Torture.

* * *

I stared at the wall. I couldn't believe it.

What Rose told me was, couldn't be true.

But then they found the evidence.

Everything she said was coming true.

**

* * *

**

I knew something wasn't quite right. I could see it in the air. It changed, like time was taking a big breath. But then nothing so I paid no mind to it.

Something was happening. The attack on the school was planned and someone figured it out.

Rose.

* * *

"Second chance given. Time on track once more."

"Thank the Heavens we don't have to deal with that soul now."

"Can I finish the prediction," Life said glaring at his fellows.

"Alteration is key. Now let the lines cross and destinies unwind as they should have been at first."

"Very enlightening."

"Go kill something Murder."

"She's gotten to you," interjects Hunger.

Life exchanges a glance with Murder.

"Great."

**

* * *

**

Spokane was just as I remembered, crawling with Strigoi.

I didn't need my sword this time, but I missed it regardless.

Zacharie was my goal.

The fight didn't last as long as last time. The first time.

I killed any Strigoi that came near me. There weren't as many either. Without me or Lissa the plans they had weren't exactly the same. They had disbanded when their little blond friend never came back but a few were still there.

When I found Zacharie I was alone.

"Seems like this has happened before," he said greasily.

"Yeah, that ending was pretty good but I'm going to enjoy this one just a little more," I say lunging forward, my lips turned up in a smile.

**Um hmm so...review? Please? Pretty please? The end is next, so many things can happen now.**

**Thanks for sticking with me through everything guys, it's been a blast writing for y'all!**

**Thanks for reading (and putting up with me), review!**

**~Kaiai**


	51. Chapter 50

**Disclaimer: So I'm not Richelle Mead, I don't own anything from her books but I do own the stuff I make up.**

**Well it's been fun, here is the very last chapter. Hope you enjoy!**

50

Chaos, that's what the world was now. Or at least our small part of the world.

The bond was gone between me and Rose. I don't know how it happened but it did, cut clean.

Now this horrible plan was unearthed and destroyed, or at least hopefully destroyed. The Queen had been under a spell set by Viktor Dashkov, along with a few others like Ambrose. I didn't exactly know what the full plan entailed but I just knew it had something to do with me.

And oddly enough the throne.

"What are you thinking?" Christian asked from beside me.

We were laying on the couch in guest housing, he had his arms around me.

"Something isn't right."

He nuzzles my neck, "I dunno, I think there's a lot right with this."

I roll my eyes, "Seriously, how did Rose know about all that stuff?" I ask turning in his arms. Now we lay face to face and I wish I hadn't turned.

He kisses my nose, "Whatever happened, if somehow Rose managed to magically time travel or something crazy like that I know for a fact everything is going to be good, she's always got your back. She won't let anything happen to you. And neither will I," he says kissing me again.

* * *

I found her outside under the stars. She was lying in the grass just staring up.

"Wondered when you'd show up," she said without moving.

I sat down beside her. "I had a few things I had to do."

"Have you ever seen the sky so bright?"

I looked up, the sky was completely filled with stars, more than I had seen before.

"No," I say falling back into the grass beside her.

"It's so pretty don't you think?"

"Cut the crap Rose."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said with a straight face.

"Rose."

She sat up and glared at me, "No, listen to me. I'm not talking, you can't get a thing out of me. It's over and done with now, just go on and forget anything weird."

"Fat chance."

She stood up abruptly.

"Just let it be Adrian."

I watched her leave, heading into the woods.

"Fine with me little dhampir, fine with me," I say as she disappears, not wanting any memory of what could have been.

**

* * *

**

Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. Adrian knew something was up but I knew in time he'd forget.

Now I just got to deal with the fact I was seventeen again, still in high school, and still haven't taken my trials.

And the Promise Mark on my hand, gone. Everything from being a Death Dealer was wiped away. Even the memories were becoming hazy.

The one surefire thing I remembered was Dimitri, lots and lots of Dimitri.

And now I was seventeen again, and still in school while Dimitri was twenty-four and very very off limits. I had a very bad feeling as to what was going to happen with that.

I mean sure it was difficult after I came back from the Shadowland but I was eighteen and legal. Now after remembering all of the…_fun_ we had together, I just don't know if I can give it up.

So that's why I avoided him.

Label that plan with a big fat F for failure.

I was wandering through the woods, opposite side from the infamous cabin, when he found me.

"Roza," he said from behind me.

I came to a screeching halt. I turned around, "Dimitri hi, love to stay and chat but I gotta run," I say with a smile as I try and rush off.

Yep still a god in this life.

He had me against a tree in seconds. Each had on either side of my face.

"Roza we need to _chat_."

I tried to keep my gaze away from him. I concentrated on a tree behind him.

I waited for him to start chatting but he didn't say anything. I quickly glanced at him and then away. He was staring at me.

"Well this is nice," I say fidgeting.

"Roza, what we did, before the fighting," he didn't finish.

I can't help it, I look at him, his beautiful dark eyes are staring straight at me. "I didn't get the chance to tell you something," I say caught up in his gaze.

He raises that eyebrow, that infuriating little thing that gets to me every time. "What?" he whispers.

I stretch up, "That I love you too," I say pressing my lips to him.

I half thought he was going to push me away but he just wrapped his arms around me.

Just like I remembered.

"Roza," he mutters into my hair.

"Hmm? Isn't this where you point out I'm only seventeen and that our relationship will never work?"

He stops from kissing under my ear to look at me.

"I have a feeling things will work out."

I smile, "You don't want to know about all the other details I left out?"

He kissed my forehead, "No, let's just rewrite our future."

"Together?" I ask trying my best to arch one of my eyebrows.

Laughing he kisses my brow, "Yes, we'll figure it out as it happens."

He takes my hand and we start walking through the brush.

He chuckles as we draw nearer to that notorious spot. A huge smile graces his beautiful lips.

"What?" I ask a smile of my own.

"So, I'm a god?"

The End

**So I'm sorry, but I absolutely love that last line. Makes me laugh every time I read it. So that's the end of Life and Death. I hope you all enjoyed my story. I've had a blast writing it and I'm sorry it took me so long to finish it.**

**I just want to thank all of you, everyone who's reviewed or just kept with me through all of this. I don't think I'd have been able to finish this story without a few of my reviewers who were...persistent? Haha yeah. I've had so much fun writing this story, loved reading all the reviews. You just have no idea how much I appreciate you all. So even though this is the end I hope you all will still review and tell me what you think of my little twists and turns.**

**Thank you all so much! Thanks for reading and putting up with me! Don't forget to review!**

**Love Kaiai**


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